Nardong Putik

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Leonardo Manecio, Sr. (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's ability to elude the law and his enemies made him a legend and a hero to many people.

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 in 1923 in 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 son, Leonardo, Jr. and two daughters, Angelita and Estrellita with his legal wife.

Philippine Constabulary 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 Maragodon (Cavite) Massacre in 1952 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 captured on May 27, 1958 after he was cornered in a rice mill in barrio Medicion in Kawit, 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 gun battle. Putik was sentenced to jail at the national penitentiary in Muntinlupa. He escaped years later and took refuge among the poor farmers of Cavite.

As a fugitive, Putik and his men continued to instill terror in Cavite. Among the cases he was involved in were the illegal cultivation of marijuana plantation, murder of two government agents and money extortion activities. In 1971 after visiting his girlfriend in Kawit, Cavite, Putik was killed in an ambush orchestrated by Juanito Remulla who was then a Constitutional Convention delegate from Cavite. The killing boosted Remulla’s political career having been elected to the provincial board in 1972 then as vice-governor the same year and as Cavite governor from 1979 to 1995.

Putik's life was made famous in the Philippines in the 1972 movie Nardong Putik. This movie which was loosely based on his life, depicted his anti-hero ways and was a very popular film in Filipino pop culture. Putik was played by Ramon Revilla, who was elected to the Philippine Senate and served from 1992-2004.

[edit] Sources

  • The Philippine Free Press, "Nardong Putik Captured" by Filemon V. Tutay, May 31, 1958
  • The Manila Times Newspaper, "PC Officer Tells How Putik Fell - Outlaw Cornered in a Rice Mill" by Lt. Elias R. Lazo, Jr. as interviewed by Bernardo de Leon, Jr., May 27, 1958
  • The Manila Bulletin, "Scribe Who Negotiated Years Ago Manicio Surrender Sees His Capture" by Amelita Reysio-Cruz, May 27, 1958
  • Tha Manila Times, "Manecio Captor Promoted", June 20, 1958
  • The Manila Times, "Thug's Captor Get Award", August 5, 1958
  • The Cavite Independent News, May 28, 1958
  • IMDB Information for the movie about his life.
  • About the amulet

[edit] Links

  • Col. Laureño Maraña of the 7th BCT [1]

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