Philippines' Duterte orders troops to South China Sea reefs

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte today said he has ordered troops to deploy on unoccupied South China Sea islands and reefs claimed by Manila, in a move that could provoke rival claimants including Beijing.

"It looks like everybody is making a grab for the islands there, so we better live on those that are still vacant," he told reporters during a visit to a military camp on the western island of Palawan, near the disputed Spratly group.