MANILA -- Two maids were arrested Friday for stealing around P1.3-million worth of jewelry from their employer in Barangay Nangka, Marikina City.

The victim, 61-year-old Rosario Lagdameo, alerted authorities after finding out that her jewelry box was empty.

Police said upon arriving at the victim's house, they observed that Lagdameo's maid, Rosijean Ullurata, was anxious while texting the maid of Lagdameo's daughter.

The victim's daughter lives just beside her house. A kitchen door in the victim's house serves as a passageway to the adjacent house.

Police said Gelyn Perido, the maid of Lagdameo's daughter, later admitted conniving with Ullurata in stealing the jewelry.

She said they hid it in the garden.

Police later dug out the missing jewelry from Lagdameo's garden.

Both Ullurata and Perido will face qualified theft charges. -- Report from Dexter Ganibe, dzMM