Philippine Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana acknowledged Wednesday that the military canceled construction of structures in a disputed area of the South China Sea after China complained about it.
Lorenzana said President Rodrigo Duterte ordered a stop to the construction of nipa huts on a sandbar near the Philippine-controlled Thitu Island in the Spratly chain after being briefed on an agreement with China.
"It was explained to him (Duterte) by the foreign affairs secretary that we have an agreement not to occupy new features," Lorenzana told reporters in Manila.