Juan Severino Mallari
Juan Severino Mallari was a Filipino Catholic priest. He is the first documented serial killer from the Philippines. During the Spanish colonial period, Mallari served as a parish priest in Magalang, Pampanga. He reportedly killed 57 people in the area.[1] In 1840, he was hanged for his crimes.[2]
Juan Severino Mallari | |
|---|---|
| Nationality | Filipino |
| Occupation | Catholic priest |
| Criminal status | Executed |
| Motive | To dispel an alleged curse on his ailing mother |
| Details | |
| Victims | 57 (as confessed) |
Span of crimes | 1816–1826 |
| Location(s) | Magalang, Pampanga, Captaincy General of the Philippines |
| Weapons | knife |
Early life and education
Mallari was from San Nicolas, Pampanga (now, Macabebe, Pampanga). He studied theology at the University of Santo Tomas[3] and completed his studies in 1809, after which he was ordained and became the coadjutor in Gapan, Lubao, and Bacolor. He then vied for the position of parish priest in several areas, namely Orani, Mariveles, and Lubao but was consistently rejected.[4]
Murders
Mallari became the parish priest of Magalang, Pampanga from 1816 to 1826. It was during this period that he started believing his mother was cursed, which became his motive for killing. He believed killing people could cure his mother's ailments.[5] It is also plausible that around this time, Mallari's peers noticed signs of the priest's mental instability.[2]
Discovery, imprisonment and execution
Mallari contracted an unknown illness sometime in 1826, which led to an attending priest who looked after Mallari[3] finding the personal belongings of his victims in his home.[1] Mallari was imprisoned for 14 years. However, Dr. Luciano Santiago argued the priest should have been sent to the first mental health institution in the Philippines instead.[6] Santiago might have been referring to either Hospicio de San Jose or San Lazaro Hospital.[7]
During this period, Mallari also pursued calligraphy, earning him the recognition of being the second Filipino calligraphic artist-priest, after Fr. Mariano Hipolito.[4]
In 1840, the Spanish colonial government executed Mallari by hanging.
In popular culture
Two different projects on Mallari's life are being developed; one is a television series slated for a 2024 release with Dennis Trillo starring as Mallari, and the other is a film featuring Piolo Pascual.[8][9]
See also
References
- Lasin, Gelo (2019-02-04). "TIL: The first-ever Filipino serial killer is a Catholic priest". We The Pvblic. Retrieved 2020-11-14.
- de Guzman, Nicai (February 8, 2019). "Urban Legend or Fact? Tales of Serial Killers and Murders in the Philippines". Esquiremag.ph. Retrieved 2020-11-14.
- "Pinoy October Crimetime: The First Documented Filipino Serial Killer was a Priest". uDOu PH. 2020-10-16. Retrieved 2020-11-14.
- "Peanut Gallery: Magalang's serial-killer priest". PEANUT GALLERY. 2010-11-23. Retrieved 2020-11-16.
- Torres, Margaux (2016-07-31). "Top 6 Philippines Catholic Church Horror Stories". Kami.com.ph - Philippines news. Retrieved 2020-11-14.
- Santiago, Luciano (2002). Laying the Foundations: Kapampangan Pioneers in the Philippine Church, 1592-2001. Juan D. Nepomuceno Center for Kapampangan Studies, Holy Angel University. ISBN 978-971-92417-1-3.
- Tecson, Miguel (April 1967). "Traditional Magic and Medicine, and the History of Modern Psychiatry in the Philippines". Canadian Psychiatric Association Journal. 12 (2): 223–225. doi:10.1177/070674376701200221. ISSN 0008-4824. S2CID 79945706.
- "Piolo Pascual plays a serial killer-priest in the new film". ABS-CBN.
- "Dennis Trillo to star in international series 'Severino". GMA News.
Further reading
- L. Santiago. Laying the Foundations: Kampampangan Pioneers in the Catholic Church, 1592-2001, Juan D. Nepomuceno Center for Kapampangan Studies, Holy Angel University, 2002. ISBN 978-971-92417-1-3