(Eagle News) — The brave soldiers and civilians killed in the fighting in Marawi will be honored at 12 noon, today, also the day the country commemorates its 119th independence.
President Rodrigo Duterte has asked television stations and radio stations to air the salute, the nation’s way of giving tribute to those who gave their lives to protect the country, and those whose innocent lives were abruptly taken by the enemies, authorities said.
As of Sunday, the government has lost 58 of its troops in battles with the Maute and other local terrorist groups, which overran parts of Marawi weeks ago in a bid to carve out a province for the international terrorist group Islamic State.
Around 20 civilians and 138 terrorists have been killed in the fighting.