Three church bells seized by American troops as war trophies more than a century ago have been returned to the Philippines.

　　Philippine Air Force personnel unload three church bells seized by American troops as war trophies more than a century ago in suburban Pasay city, southeast of Manila, Philippines on Tuesday, Dec. 11, 2018. [Photo:IC]

　　Locals from Balangiga, a seaside town in Eastern Samar province in the central Philippines, used the church bells to signal an attack against American soldiers at dawn on Sept. 28, 1901.

　　Philippine Air Force personnel unload three church bells seized by American troops as war trophies more than a century ago, as they arrive to be handed back to the Philippines in suburban Pasay city, southeast of Manila, Philippines on Tuesday, Dec. 11, 2018. [Photo:IC]

　　American occupation troops took the bells from a Catholic church following an attack by machete-wielding Filipino villagers in one of the U.S. Army's worst single-battle losses of that era.

　　Philippine Air Force personnel unload three church bells seized by American troops as war trophies more than a century ago, as they arrive in suburban Pasay city, southeast of Manila, Philippines Tuesday, Dec. 11, 2018. [Photo:IC]

　　The bells are revered by Filipinos as symbols of national pride.

　　American and Philippine government officials pose before the three church bells seized by American troops as war trophies more than a century ago, as they arrive in suburban Pasay city, southeast of Manila, Philippines Tuesday, Dec. 11, 2018. [Photo:IC]

　　Two of the bells had been on display at the Warren Air Force base in Cheyenne, Wyoming and another at a U.S. military facility in South Korea.

　　Residents from Balangiga township pose before one of three Balangiga church bells following handover ceremony upon their arrival in suburban Pasay city, southeast of Manila, Philippines on Tuesday, Dec. 11, 2018. [Photo:IC]

　　After the handover ceremony held in Manila, the three bells will be flown by a Philippine Air Force plane to Eastern Samar for their return to Balangiga church officials on Saturday.