MANILA - Malaysia is to pursue rape charges against men who allegedly assaulted a minor who was later wrongly deported to the Philippines, the Malaysian embassy here said today.

The girl charged she had been raped at a detention center in Sabah before being deported along with thousands of Filipinos in a crackdown against illegal migrants.

Malaysian police sent to Manila to investigate the case later said the 13-year-old girl was actually a homeless Malaysian citizen who had been associating with illegal Filipino migrants.

"Malaysia would pursue the case against those who are accused of raping" the girl, an embassy statement said.

"The controversy over the confirmation of her nationality will not affect the investigations and subsequent judicial process of the rape charges against the perpetrators of this heinous crime."