MANILA - Commemorating Eid'l Adha or the "Feast of Sacrifice," Muslim groups across the country called for peace and unity in the country on Monday.

In the celebration at the University of the Philippines (UP) Diliman, Muslims condemned violence and terrorism in their morning prayer.

The group also prayed for an immediate end to the armed unrest in Mindanao which has left hundreds dead. They also called on the government to exercise its power to protect the lives of innocent citizens.

Professor Macrina Morados, dean of the UP Institute of Islamic Studies, told ABS-CBN News that Islam is a religion that promotes peace and love.

She added that it is wrong to identify with Islam the extremist groups that use the religion's name to perpetrate crimes.

The same appeal for peace was emphasized by a Muslim ustadz who led the commemoration of the religious festival at the Cotabato City town hall.

"Dapat lahat -- mapa-Muslim man o Kristiyano o anumang relihiyon -- dapat mayroong kapayapaan," ustadz Faisal Dacungan said.

(Everyone -- whether they're Muslims, Christians or any other religion -- should experience peace.)

Among the hundreds who joined the congregational prayer at the town hall was Emran Muhammad who echoed the ustadz' wish for peace.

"S'yempre hingin natin kay Allah 'yung kapayapaan...kasi 'yan ang kailangan natin ngayon," he said.

(Of course, we'll ask Allah to grant us peace... That's what we need now.)

Police forces kept watch over the morning prayer, which was followed by the sharing of food of Muslim families. No incident of violence was reported in the city during the celebration.

Eid'l Adha is the tenth day in the month of Hajj or Islamic Pilgrimage to Mecca, where Muslims pay tribute to Abraham’s willingness to sacrifice his only son to God.

September 12 was declared a regular holiday for the celebration. Around five percent of the country's 100 million population are Muslims. Eighty percent are Catholic.

-- With reports from Kevin Manalo, Jasper Acosta and Ariane Apatan, ABS-CBN News