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.

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.

[3] Philippine Constabulary files show Manicio was involved in various criminal cases which ranged from illegal possession of firearms to kidnapping, armed robbery and murder starting from 1948.

[3] Manicio led a group of roving bandits engaged in kidnapping, robbery, car theft, murder, marijuana growing, protection, and murder-for-hire as a gunman for Cavite's politicians.

[2] 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.

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.

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.

Two versions of Nardong Putik (Kilabot ng Cavite) were made in 1972 and in 1984, wherein in both films, Manicio was portrayed by action star and then-future politician Ramon Revilla, Sr., a fellow Caviteño.