By Martin Sandongdong The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) recognized three soldiers who have rendered service beyond and above their duty and became the recipients of the 2019 Metrobank Foundation Outstanding Filipino - Award for Soldiers (MFOFAS) in a ceremony held at Camp Aguinaldo in Quezon City on Monday. Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) (MANILA BULLETIN) Recognized were Master Sergeant Ramil Caporas who led a team of bomb experts during the 2017 Marawi siege; Major Romulo Dimayuga who spearheaded an operation that led to the neutralization of Abu Sayyaf Group commander Khaddafy Janjalani in 2006; and Lieutenant Colonel John Paul Baldomar, who helped an internally displaced ethnic community in Maguindanao recover in 2001. "The AFP congratulates the recipients of this year's Metrobank Foundation Outstanding Filipinos - Award for Soldiers. You have proven your diligence and perseverance for the advancement of our country and our fellow men through the simple yet extraordinary achievements in the performance of your duties," said General Benjamin Madrigal, AFP Chief-of-Staff. The three soldiers were included in this year's Top 10 Most Outstanding Filipinos recognized by the Metrobank Foundation. Aside from them, four teachers and three policemen were also included in the list. Each of the 10 awardees will receive P1 million as cash prize, a gold medallion, and a trophy during the Metrobank's 57th-anniversary celebration later this month. Marawi hero With a two-decade career in ordnance service, Master Sergeant Caporas led a team of Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) experts during the Marawi crisis. This resulted to the recovery and proper disposal of 1,000 improvised explosive devices (IEDs) which ensured the safety of the troops inside the battle zone. "My source of fulfillment as a soldier is when I can render safe or defuse a bomb without any harm, accomplish my mission to serve the people and secure the land, and go home to my family safe and sound, the Philippine Army soldier said. Terror chief slayer Then a 24-year-old, 2nd Lieutenant officer, Dimayuga led an operation that resulted to the death of "one of the most wanted men in Southeast Asia and listed as one of United States Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)'s most wanted terrorists in the country by infiltrating their stronghold in Sulu province." Although the AFP refused to name the terrorist that was neutralized by Dimayuga's unit, the valiant soldier's name grabbed headlines before when his unit, the Philippine Marines' Force Recon Platoon, infiltrated the ASG's lair in Sulu in September 2006 that resulted to the neutralization of the terror group's commander, Khaddafy Janjalani. Dimayuga was then the unit's platoon leader. Having served 19 years in the military service now, Dimayuga quickly rose to the ranks and has since held a number of key positions as a Marine officer. Ethic community's 'savior' Lieutenant Colonel Baldomar has been in the active military service for 22 years already. Among the most unforgettable operations that he handled was when he spearheaded an initiative that rallied his troops to respond to the plight of 95 internally displaced Tiruray families in Datu Unsay, Maguindanao in 2001. The Tiruray community originally resided in Peris Hills, Maguindanao. The difficulty of thriving in a strife-torn environment due to armed lawless group's activities resulted in the community's dispersal. Baldomar, then the company commander of the Philippine Army's Bravo Company, 37th Infantry Battalion, 6th Infantry Division witnessed the plight of the Tiruray families who were living in temporary shelters, facing imminent threat and barely meeting their basic needs. His unit then collaborated with the local government and non-government organizations to implement community-based programs and support the development of infrastructures from school buildings and farm-to-market roads. The community grew from 95 displaced families to around 300 "empowered and self-sufficient" families in 2019.