2 men accused of murdering friend in Hong Kong after public altercation

Two Filipino men arrested last weekend are alleged to have murdered their compatriot in a street fight after he mocked one of them for having low alcohol tolerance, the South China Morning Post has learned.

Police reclassified the case as murder on Thursday, five days after the assailants were arrested in Central last Saturday.

A source familiar with the case said the two men, aged 44 and 52, were sheltering from the rain on November 7 at Jardine House in Central with four other companions, including a 41-year-old Filipino private car driver surnamed Mallanao.

“During this time, Mallano mocked one of the arrested for having a low alcohol tolerance, which immediately sparked a dispute,” the source said.

One of them punched Mallano, causing him to fall and hit his head on the ground, while the other man kicked him. The three other friends immediately intervened to stop the fight.

“After the fight, Mallano was left unconscious and lying on the ground,” the source said.

Mallano was rushed to Queen Mary Hospital in Pok Fu Lam for emergency treatment. He remained in hospital for the next five days but succumbed to his injuries on Thursday.

Police reclassified the case as murder that same day, and investigations are still ongoing.