Nardong Putik

Leonardo Malihan Manicio (March 25, 1923 – October 10, 1971), better known through his alias Nardong Putik ("Nardo of the Mud"), was a Filipino gangster who mainly operated in the province of Cavite. He famously credited his ability to survive and escape numerous ambushes and gunfights to his anting-anting (amulet).

Background Manicio was born on March 25, 1923, in Sabang, Dasmariñas, Cavite. When Leonardo was baptized as an infant, he had Jose Barzaga as godfather, belonging to a wealthy clan whose scions were prominent lawyers, land owners and politicians in the town. His father Juan Manicio was a farmer and politician of some consequence in his town and enjoyed a long time affiliation with the prominent Carungcong, Mangubat and Barzaga families.

Due to his father's alliance with the Barzagas, his father Juan Manicio became a target, and was murdered and robbed of his livestock in their home in 1944 by political rivals who belonged to an armed guerilla group under Col. Emiliano De La Cruz from Barrio Paliparan, Dasmariñas (14th Infantry Unit). De La Cruz had been vying for control over turf in Dasmariñas with a rival armed guerilla unit under Col. Estanislao Mangubat Carungcong (4th Infantry Regiment), and in these circumstances, Manicio sought revenge for the injustices his family had suffered.

As a result, Manicio was drawn into factional politics in Dasmariñas, and was soon appointed as a police officer by Mayor Felicisimo Carungcong in 1944. He then enlisted as a fully armed retainer of the powerful clique of families in Dasmariñas (the Carungcong-Mangubat-Barzagas). With his new capacity, one by one, his fathers murderers were brought to justice. Manicio was married to Feliciana but had many common-law wives. He had one known son, Leonardo Jr., and two known daughters, Angelita and Estrellita with his legal wife. According to Caviteños, Manicio got that name as he was known to submerge himself in mud paddies, among carabaos, using bamboo or papaya stalks as breathing tubes, whenever he had to evade a police or military dragnet. Manicio credited his survival to his anting-anting. Manicio was sentenced to jail for 182 years and two months at the national penitentiary in Muntinlupa, but was granted freedom of movement. He escaped in October 1969 and took refuge from his home town who he still had close ties with his longtime mentor Dasmarinas Mayor Remigio Carungcong.

Massacre of NBI agents In the morning of February 10, 1971, two agents of the Narcotics Division of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), Rogelio Domingo and Antonio Dayao, were killed by Putik and his men. Victims belonged to a group headed by Supervising Agent Eligio Songco, that went to Imus, Cavite to survey and raid a marijuana plantation allegedly being protected by Putik. Some of his men involved were later apprehended, charged and convicted in court in connection to the killings.

Death A joint NBI-Constabulary force was assembled with the intention to capture Manicio, dead or alive, who by then had a PHP20,000 bounty on his head by the new acting governor, Johnny Remulla. Reportedly, Lt. Col. Miguel Gantuangco, one of the task forces' commanding officers with NBI agent Epimaco Velasco, attempted to coax Manicio into surrendering via Bishop Vicedo of Caloocan, but the attempts proved fruitless. On October 9–10, 1971, the task force attempted to follow him, discovering his hideout by the 10th. Ambushes were prepared by the Constabulary in the general area in the early morning hours along the possible routes he would take. On October 10, 1971, Manicio's red Chevrolet Impala came upon a task force highway checkpoint between Panamitan and Kawit. Manicio refused to obey the signals for him to stop, and the 20 assembled agents and police officers opened fire, killing him almost instantly. On his person was a revolver, 300 pesos, $150 in counterfeit bills, a wallet, a notebook with information regarding his debts, and several false identity papers.

The operation later boosted the careers of Remulla and Velasco. As the Montanos were on self exile to America, Lino Bocalan in jail, the death of Camerino and the death of the "Kilabot" Nardong Putik, the former would later become a Constitutional Delegate; Velasco the head of the NBI, later DILG secretary and Cavite governor, and so it was to Johnny Remulla who had now a clear path to become new Cavite Governor.

On Manicio's death, some of his men were later arrested, charged, and convicted in court for murder and other offenses.

The films capitalized on the supposed incredible magic of Manicio's anting-anting. Both were loosely based on his life while portrayed him as an anti-hero.