MANILA - Philippine officials are interviewing recent deportees from Malaysia for accounts of alleged rape by Malaysian officials to be used as evidence in any future criminal cases, Foreign Secretary Blas Ople said Friday.

However "it's hard to gather evidence. While they're in Malaysia, they won't speak because they're afraid. But even while they're in (the southern Philippines), they still won't speak, especially the women, because they're afraid."

Ople told reporters at the presidential palace that the testimonies of the deportees were being gathered by the justice and social welfare departments and would eventually be turned over to the foreign office for transmission to "Malaysian authorities, including especially (Prime Minister) Mahathir Mohamad for their information."

"This is the evidence they require in order to act at their own end against so-called abuses and maltreatment," Ople said.

Outrage

Thousands of Filipino illegal migrants have been leaving the Malaysian state of Sabah in droves in recent weeks due to a Malaysian crackdown on illegal immigration.

Reports of maltreatment of the deportees, including the alleged rape of some of the women, have stirred outrage in the Philippines.

Mahathir pledged swift action over Philippine President Gloria Arroyo's complaint in a letter to him that a 13-year-old girl had been raped, reportedly by a policeman at a detention centre.

Earlier this week, a Philippine delegation inspected the detention centers where deportees were held before being sent back to the Philippines.

In a joint statement with the Malaysian authorities, the Philippine delegation said it found the Malaysian government "has exerted all efforts to ease the hardships of Filipino detainees/deportees."

"The Philippine delegation is satisfied that these efforts meet Philippine expectations," said the statement, which was signed by team leader Nur Jafaar and Sabah state chief minister Chong Kah Kiat.

The delegation, however, proposed a number of improvements, including special attention for women, children and the elderly.