Nardong Putik

Manicio 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 and were reporting to then Governor Dominador I Mangubat. On Election Day of 1957, an encounter occurred between his group and the group led by then Cavite Philippine Constabulary (PC) commander Lt. Col. Laureano Marana, wherein Marana and his men were killed.

Manicio 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. Manicio surrendered to Lt. Lazo after engaging the patrol in a 45-minute gun battle.[4][5][6] 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 have close ties with his longtime mentor Mayor Remigio Carungcong.

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.[7]

A joint NBI-Constabulary force was assembled with the intention was to capture Manicio, dead or alive, who by then had a PHP20,000 bounty on his head by the new acting governor, Juanito "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.[8]

The operation later boosted the careers of Remulla and Velasco, As the Montano's 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 have 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.[7] The killing was also met with mixed reactions in Cavite as he had built a reputation as a local "Robin Hood" given that his criminal exploits mainly targeted the rich.

An alternate theory regarding Manicio's death later surfaced, supported by some of Manicio's friends, an acquaintance in the press, and a former police chief. This version claimed that Manicio was lured to a resort, drugged, and placed in the Impala, whereupon his pursuers opened fire at the car to give the illusion he had been gunned down while resisting arrest.[8]

Another legend of his true demise, according to Caviteño legends, Nardo was invited by one of his friend (kumpare) into a social gathering that was sponsored and paid generously by a Cavite political leader. When Putik appeared to be tipsy (a condition which is prohibited for an individual who possesses an amulet due to its ability to lose its effect when the holder was intoxicated by alcohol), he was then hit on the back of his head by his turncoat friend and died from the injury. His body was surrendered to the NBI and PC for the aforementioned staging of his "death".