By Jim Lloyd Dongiapon
Today, October 17, marks the fifth anniversary of Marawi City’s liberation after a five-month-long battle between government forces and terrorists affiliated with the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS), including the Maute and Abu Sayyaf groups, that began on May 23, 2017.
The Philippine Army organized the ceremony in observance of the occasion at the Libingan ng mga Bayani in Taguig City and was led by Presidential Adviser for the Peace Process, Reconciliation, and Unity Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr.
The ceremony started with a wreath-laying at the Marawi Pylon, a memorial built in 2018 to honor the government forces who fought against the terrorists during the Marawi siege.
Galvez stated in his speech that the ceremony was a way to commemorate the 169 government forces who lost their lives and the 1,800 government troopers who were injured during the battle.
He also mentioned that there are ongoing projects for roads, bridges, and other infrastructure in Marawi as part of its rehabilitation.
He added that programs are available through the Office of the Presidential Adviser for Peace, Reconciliation, and Unity (OPAPRU) to assist the surviving families of killed government troopers and affected citizens.
Former Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Eduardo Año, who was Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) during the siege, and former Department of Social Welfare and Development Secretary (DSWD) Rolando Bautista, who was formerly the commander of Joint Task Force Marawi, were also present in the event.
A separate wreath-laying ceremony was also held at Camp Ranao in Marawi City, to remember the war-torn city’s freedom from the enemies of the state.
On October 17, 2017, after five months of siege, former President Rodrigo Duterte visited Marawi and declared the city free of “terrorist influence,” which also signaled the beginning of its ongoing rehabilitation.
A few days later, the battle was officially declared over on October 23, 2017, following the confirmation of the deaths of Abu Sayyaf leader and ISIS emir in Southeast Asia, Isnilon Hapilon, and Maute group co-founder, Omarkhayam Maute.