MANILA, Philippines--A Filipino couple in Saudi Arabia have accused each other of killing their Filipino maid after a family squabble, and they are now in jail.

Their three children, ages 2, 3, and 5, are now the focus of government efforts, according to Foreign Affairs Undersecretary on Migrant Workers Affairs Esteban Conejos Jr.

He said the Philippine embassy in Riyadh has asked the Saudi authorities if it could take custody of the couple's minor children.

Conejos said his office has received reports of the couple's detention only December 8, and thus far, no charge has been filed against either of them.

It is unlikely that they would be beheaded today, three days after, as reported by the migrants group Migrante Friday in e-mail to media outfits.

The DFA is keeping all the names of the concerned individuals confidential.

According to an INQUIRER.net source in government, the maid was killed two years ago, but it has not been established who between the husband and wife was the perpetrator.

The spouses allegedly planned to dispose of the body in the desert but they changed their mind and instead chopped her up and buried her under the floor of their house.

The murder surfaced when the couple showed up at a Saudi police station pointing at each other as the murderer. Police went to their house and found the maid's body.

The maid had been missing for two years.