Some Christians in Mindanao are arming themselves against Muslim militants, according to a Catholic bishop.

“This is a desperate attempt by Christians who are being attacked by these armed groups,” Bishop Angelito Lampon of the vicariate of Jolo said in a report on CBCPNews, the official news service provider of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines.

A group of 300 Christians calling themselves “Red God’s Soldiers” said they would not take the attacks of the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) sitting down.

Lampon said the group could have been formed out of frustration and fear.

A photo released on Tuesday showed members of the group burning an Islamic State flag in their mountain hideout somewhere in central Mindanao.

Lampon said the group is taking up arms to call the attention of the government to address the problem concerning Muslim extremists.

“If government troops can defend civilians whether they are Muslims or Christians... it will not come to this,” he said.

“If only there’s enough security for them, I think they will not take up arms. But if they feel helpless, I guess it’s their form of self-defense,” he added. – Evelyn Macairan, Roel Pareño