Philippine President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo said the reported crackdown against Filipinos in Malaysia is likely to be a part of Kuala Lumpur's efforts to rid the country of terrorists and not an act against Filipinos per se. But Arroyo said, during an interview, that she would still check the report.

"I have to check on that. In the past we have received alarming reports of crackdowns on Filipinos in some countries only to find out that the arrests were legitimate," she said.

The president said that if ever there would be a crackdown on Filipinos in Malaysia, this would mainly concern migrants from the Philippines southern main island of Mindanao who are now living and working illegally in the western province of Sabah.

Arroyo said that there had been reports in the past that members of the southern Sulu and Basilan-based Abu Sayyaf group have sought refuge in Sabah to flee pursuing authorities in the Philippines.

She said Malaysia's alleged crackdown is their way of ridding their country of terrorists as well as their help in the campaign against international terrorism.

Reports said that at least 50 Filipinos were arrested in Gaya in Sabah during a raid on an "illegal workers‚ settlement site."

Reports said that Filipinos, who had fled from Mindanao at the height of the separatist insurgency problem during the early 1970s and the 1990s, are occupying at least four villages in Gaya.

There are at least 600,000 Filipinos now residing in the entire Sabah island, mostly Moros from southern Philippines.