It could imply that the manifest, perhaps like a written statement or a declaration, represents an actual, true story. For example, in a shipping context, the manifest which lists all the goods being shipped is a real account of what's on board.
Sure. Consider a ship's manifest. It lists all the cargo, passengers, and crew. This manifest is a real story of what is on that ship at that time. It's a factual account that can't be easily refuted.