Remembering Philippines Most Wanted

Alvin Flores was gunned down last Oct. 29 in Compostela, Cebu. Many recognized him as the modern day outlaw in the long line of Philippine's Most Wanted personnel. His underworld career began in late 80’s when he became an alleged recruit of Alex Boncayao Brigade in Malabon area. He later create his own gang, named after him saying, “Someday my name would be famous”.

It was said that Alvin Flores Group was barely mentioned in the media but in the criminal world, they began to be noticed. But on that fateful day in October, his luck rans out.

Like I’ve said earlier, Alvin is just one of the most feared bandits, the country ever saw. Today, I will intorduced 3 more, who wreck havoc in the country.

Late 1940’s, Manila resembled a wild frontier town. It’s normal to see businessmen tucked gun in their belts as they went about their daily routines. Clashes between rival gangs were a regular occurence in congested communities of Paco, Sta. Ana, Sampaloc and Tondo.

Nicasio Salonga’s, popularly known as Asyong Salonga, criminal career flourished in these surroundings. A typical urban Filipino gangster, Asyong’s specialties were robbery, extortion and murder. But he was generous enough as he shared his prosperity to his needy neighbors. Despite his notoriety, Asyong was free to roam the city. It was said that he was protected by politicians and police officers who used him for their personal purpose.

He was killed in October 1951 by a single bullet in the head while drinking with his buddies in Tondo. He was only 27 years old.

Leonardo Melencio aka Nardong Putik was known as the Robinhood of Cavite. He was loved by the farmers in his hometown and was remembered for restoring peace and order in the community he controlled.

It was believed that Nardo wore an amulet that protected him from bullets, but only if he were standing on mud when he was shot at. He acquired the amulet from another Cavite mythical outlaw, Tiagong Akyat.

Throughout his violent career, he was associated with powerful politicians. He was in & out of prisons that forced former Senator Justiniano Montano to call for a full Senate inquiry into the Manecio case.

On February 10, 1971. Nardong Putik would again grab the headlines. This time he was accused of gunning down two anti-narcotics agents of National Bureau of Investigation. Months later, another team from NBI would end his career permanently. NBI agents engaged Nardong Putik in a gun battle. His car was raked by gunfire and 60 bullets were counted on his body. The NBI team that Nardong Putik encountered was led by an agent named Epimaco Velasco.

Benjamin Garcia or Ben Tumbling was only 23 when he was shot and killed in an ambush set-up by police operatives led by Intelligence Chief Vicente Vinarao.

Ben Tumbling, who hails from Malabon, derived his nickname from his earlier job as a movie stuntman. An expert in karate, he was said to have incredible acrobatic abilities, a talent helped him make quick getaways from arresting policemen.

It was said that Ben’s hatred with police started with a traumatic brutallity he experienced. He was heavily tortured by arresting policemen as a juvenile delinquent. His head was hit hard by a chair, dunked in toilet bowl and his genitals electrocuted. Reports said that all this torture might have forgiven by Ben but what drove him for really hatting policemen of Malabon was when some of them raped his young wife.

He was later involved in robberies, car jacking and drug trafficking. In a matter of months, 7 policemen were shot dead, their guns taken from them. Because of this attacks, Ben Tumbling was now high up on the police’s “Most Wanted” list.

Malabon Police were now afraid of him.

Ben’s friends and neighbors received gifts from him. Those in dire needs suddenly received cash from him. It is easy to see why poor communities of Malabon saw Ben Tumbling as a hero, not as a criminal. When he was shot dead by policemen on Friday the 13th of March 1981, poor people of Malabon wept openly.

Surely, a life lived like one of them was a life we didn’t envy at all. As the saying goes, Someone who live by the bullet dies with a bullet. This was not written to highlight their wrongdoings or give justice to their acts but understand that criminals were also human but unfortunately made a wrong turn somewhere in the course of their journey in life.