MANILA - The Philippines today ruled out an apology being demanded by Malaysian Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad over a diplomatic spat involving the alleged rape of a 13-year-old girl.

The girl had claimed she had been raped at a detention centre in Sabah before being deported along with thousands of Filipinos in a crack down against illegal migrants.

Manila had filed a diplomatic protest over the incident, which sparked outrage in the Philippines.

Mahathir earlier today said the Philippines owed his government an apology after Malaysian police found the girl was not Filipina but a Malaysian citizen who was wrongly deported.

"We don't see the need for that. The Philippines took up the cudgels for a rape victim, a minor at that. Now, are we to be faulted for that?" foreign affairs spokesman Victoriano Lecaros said.