MANILA, Oct. 17 -- Presidential peace adviser Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr. on Friday paid tribute to the government forces that fought to liberate Marawi City from the hands of Maute and Abu Sayyaf terrorists eight years ago.

"As we commemorate this fateful day, let us not forget to honor the men and women who laid their lives on the line, with some of them making the ultimate sacrifice, to liberate Marawi from its captors," Galvez said in a statement.

"They are heroes in the truest sense."

The head of the Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation and Unity (OPAPRU) also lauded the "extraordinary courage" of the Maranao people to overcome their trauma and rebuild their lives following the siege.

"Over the past eight ...