MANILA, Philippines – A construction worker was killed while four others were wounded after they were attacked by suspected Moro rebels in the southern province of Maguindanao, a regional military spokesman said Tuesday.

At 11:45 p.m. Monday, around 20 suspected Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) rebels fired at backhoe equipment of RDI Construction in sitio (sub-village) Andong, Labungan village, Datu Odin Sinsuat town, said Lieutenant Colonel Jonathan Ponce, spokesman of the 6th Infantry Division.

After spraying the backhoe with bullets for 30 minutes, the rebels set it on fire, Ponce said in a text message.

“[The] motive is extortion to generate funds because this is the fast means to get money due to the dwindling and scarcity of resources of the rogue MILF,” Ponce said.

Army troops were dispatched to run after the suspects, he said.

Katherine Evangelista