MANILA, Feb 9 (PNA) -- Saying the Filipino is weary of all the fighting, discord, and senseless armed combat characteristic of the growing gap between the government and members of the rebel groups, President Benigno S. Aquino III called on all the stakeholders and concerned citizens to rally behind his administration and support the resumption of peace talks with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) which will take place this month in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

The President made the call during the “Ilaw ng Kapayapaan” (Light of Peace) candle lighting ceremonies held at the Quezon Memorial Circle Tuesday night.

The event is a run up for the upcoming resumption of peace negotiation with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) and the National Democratic Front (NDF).

“Many parts of our country have been covered in the darkness of armed conflict. For the longest time, this has brought about pain, fear, divisiveness and hatred between Filipinos,” the President said.

“Sawa na ang Pilipino sa bangayan. Sawa na ang Pilipino sa walang-katuturang bakbakan. Sawa na ang Pilipinong makita ang kapwa nilang Pilipinong nadadamay sa madugong sagupaan na wala namang kinahahantungan. Sawa na ang Pilipino sa gulo; kapayapaan naman(The Filipino is tired of conflict. The Filipino is tired of senseless armed combat. The Filipino is tired of seeing his fellow Filipino caught between this bloody conflict that is going nowhere. The Filipino is tired of discord; now is the time for peace),” he added.

The President described the ceremonial candle lighting as a “symbol of our oneness and our single desire to fan the flames of true peace.”

“Ang liwanag na hatid ng tangan nating kandila ay magsisilbing gabay upang hindi na muli pang maligaw sa marahas at madugong landas ang ating bayan (The light from the candle we hold this evening will be our guide to ensure that our path towards peace for our country will not stray again towards a bloody end),” the President said.

“Now is the time to fan the flames of peace. Now is the time to set aside our differences, anxieties and doubt. Now is the time for renewed peace talks which should yield a meaningful agreement between the government and rebel groups,” he stressed.

The President announced that the government will hold exploratory talks with the MILF from February 9 to 10 and formal talks with the NDF from February 15 to 21 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

He noted that the tripartite meeting between the government, the MNLF and the Organization of Islamic Countries to study the implementation of the 1996 Final Peace Agreement will be held from February 19 to 20 in Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.