Leonardo Manecio
| Leonardo Manicio | |
|---|---|
| Born |
March 25, 1925 Sabang, Dasmarinas, Cavite |
| Died | October 10, 1971 (aged 46) Kawit, Cavite |
| Other names | Nardong Putik, Kilabot |
| Occupation | Career criminal, exploited by Filipino politicians |
| Criminal penalty | Shoot to kill |
| Criminal status | Deceased |
| Spouse(s) | Feliciana |
| Children | Leonardo, Jr. Angelita Estrellita |
| Parent(s) | Mother: Arcadia |
| Conviction(s) | Murder, kidnapping, armed robbery, illegal possession of firearms |
Leonardo Manicio (sometimes credited as "Manicio") aka Nardong Putik was a Filipino gangster turned folk hero. An amulet-wielding hoodlum from Cavite province, Putik credited his ability to survive and escape numerous ambushes and gunfights to his anting-anting (amulet). Nardong Putik ability to elude the law and his enemies made him a legend to many people.
Height = 5'4ft"
Weight = 137 lbs.
Anting-anting (amulet) = Putik amulets were composed of a small red stone, a scapular with religious inscriptions and a small ring made of brass
According to Caviteños, Putik 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.
Putik was born on March 25, 1925 in Sabang, Dasmariñas, Cavite. His father was a politician of some consequence in his town who was killed by his political enemies. Putik was a driver by profession and at one time saw services as a policeman in Dasmariñas.
Putik 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.
Philippine Constabulary (PC) files show Putik was involved in various criminal cases which ranged from illegal possession of firearms to kidnapping, armed robbery and murder starting from 1948. Among the major cases in which Putik was involved in were the infamous Maragondon (Cavite) Massacre in 1952 where the mayor, police chief and several policemen were killed with hunting knives, and the 1957 Election Day killing of Lt. Colonel Laureano Maraña, then provincial commander of Cavite, and seven others. Unscrupulous politicians were also found to have been in league with the bandit, utilizing him in their struggle for political supremacy.
Putik was first convicted and jailed in 1953 but escaped in July 1955 from the Constabulary stockade in Imus, Cavite where he was held as a detention prisoner.
Putik was re-captured on May 27, 1958 after he was cornered in a rice mill in barrio Medicion in Imus, Cavite by Lt. Elias R. Lazo, Jr. of the 31st PC Company and Lt. Federico D. Navarro of the 117th PC Company who were both promoted to Captain and decorated the Gold Cross Medal, the third highest military battle award, for their daring capture. Putik surrendered to Lt. Lazo after engaging the patrol in a 45-minute gun battle.
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Wikipedia