Juan Severino Mallari

Mallari was from San Nicolas 1, Pampanga, which is south of Magalang, Pampanga. He studied theology at the University of Santo Tomas.[3]

Fr. Mallari completed his studies at the University and was ordained, after which he 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]

Fr. Mallari became the parish priest in Magalang, Pampanga for 10 years. It was during this period that he started believing his mother was cursed (or kinulam), which became his motive for killing. He believed killing people would cure his ailing mother.[5] It is also plausible that around this time, Fr. Mallari's peers noticed he was mentally ill.[2]

He contracted an unknown illness sometime in 1826 , which led to an attending priest, who had to look after Fr. Mallari,[3] finding the personal belongings of his victims in his home.[1] Fr. 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] Dr. Santiago might have been referring to either Hospicio de San Jose or San Lazaro Hospital.[7]

In this period, Fr. Mallari also pursued calligraphy, earning him the recognition of being the second Filipino calligraphic artist-priest, after Fr. Mariano Hipolito.[4]

Fr. Mallari was executed by the Spaniards by hanging. His execution took place 32 years prior to the GomBurZa execution, where three priests were killed for being falsely accused of treason and sedition.