MANILA, Philippines—Some 300 “able-bodied” men have formed Iligan City’s armed defense in case of an attack by the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), Lanao del Norte Rep. Vicente Belmonte announced Monday.

“We feel the government cannot protect us anymore,” Belmonte said after MILF rebels stormed the towns of Kauswagan and Kolambugan in Lanao del Norte, burning houses and taking over the church and town hall.

The civilian task force, called God Save Iligan City, is composed of members of nongovernment organizations, gun clubs and civic organizations. Belmonte said he and Iligan Mayor Lawrence Cruz were part of the group.

“We are allowed to fight under the law … Civilians are allowed to arm themselves to protect (their life and property) at all cost,” the congressman said in a phone interview from Iligan, a highly urbanized city which is geographically part of Lanao del Norte.

On Sunday, two bombs exploded in separate hotels in the city, resulting in injuries to at least three people.

Belmonte stressed that the taking up of arms was not meant to encourage vigilantism. “We are not inciting to war. We are just a civilian group aimed at protecting the residents,” he said.

“The (civilian armed) group is supervised by a group of organizations. Officials of Iligan City are part of that but not as leaders,” Belmonte added.

Because of Monday’s attacks, 10,000 evacuees from Kauswagan and Linamon town are now occupying the national high school, multipurpose hall and the Iligan City Central School, he said.

Although there was still no actual firefight in Linamon, Belmonte said, fears of an MILF attack prompted residents to flee.

“You know how they got there? By banca,” he said. With the highway from Kauswagan impassable allegedly because of the presence of rebels, the evacuees had to use the coastal waters to get to Iligan, he added.

Evacuees from Kolambugan went to Ozamiz City, Belmonte said.