RP rules out apology to Malaysia

RP rules out apology to Malaysia

PHILIPPINES: Manila on Tuesday ruled out an apology being
demanded by Malaysian Prime Minister 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 center
in the Malaysian state of 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 on Tuesday 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. --AFP