President Gloria Arroyo is to ask Philippines legislators Tuesday to tone down their anti-Malaysian rhetoric after Kuala Lumpur deported thousands of illegal Filipino migrants, her spokesman said.

The mass deportations have triggered calls by Filipino politicians for Manila to revive its dormant claim on the resources-rich Malaysian state of Sabah, from where many the migrants were evicted over the past month.

Anger has been fuelled by allegations that the illegals have been mistreated, with social workers saying three Filipino children have died. Malaysia insists the deportees are being treated well.

Arroyo spokesman Ignacio Bunye said Sunday that the president wanted her countrymen "not to complicate the situation" by raising "unrelated" issues such as the Sabah claim.

"We have not abandoned that," he said, referring to the claim. "I don't think this is the time to revive it."