MANILA - Malaysian government investigators on today interviewed a 13-year-old Filipina girl allegedly raped at a detention center for illegal immigrants in Sabah, the justice department here said.

The rape case and the reported deaths of at least three children during Malaysia's recent deportation of thousands of Filipino illegals from Sabah has sparked anger in the Philippines.

The three-member Malaysian probe team interviewed the alleged victim and a witness, Justice Secretary Hernando Perez told reporters.

Proceedings went well

Senior Filipino state prosecutors and social welfare department officials accompanied the girl and the unnamed witness to the Malaysian embassy, where the interviews were conducted, Perez added.

"I instructed them (Filipino officials) to monitor (the interview) and to see to it that the rights of the child are protected. The Malaysian police proceedings went well," Perez said.

The girl had complained to Filipino authorities that she was raped before she was deported to the Philippines along with hundreds of other Filipinos as part of a Malaysian crackdown against illegals.

Press reports here say that she was raped by a Malaysian policeman.

Philippine President Gloria Arroyo had written to Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad asking him to act on the case. Mahathir pledged a swift response and dispatched the investigators.

Perez said the Malaysian investigators have been "authorised to investigate other claims of maltreatment."