[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 29 (Thursday, February 15, 2007)]
[Senate]
[Page S2020]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    TRIBUTE TO CAPTAIN EDUARDO REYES

 Mrs. DOLE. Mr. President, today I wish to honor CPT Eduardo 
Reyes, a retired pilot who flew for Philippine Airlines.
  On December 11, 1994, Captain Reyes was piloting Philippine Airlines 
flight 434, from Manila to Tokyo, when a bomb planted by now-convicted 
terrorist Ramzi Yousef was detonated on board the aircraft. The blast 
immediately killed 1 Japanese businessman and injured 10 others. It 
also caused the plane's controls to stop functioning normally, putting 
the lives of everybody aboard the plane at risk.
  In this most trying of situations, Captain Reyes and his crew rose to 
the challenge. Controlling the altitude of the plane via the throttle--
which I understand is an extremely difficult thing to do--Captain Reyes 
kept the plane in the air for nearly an hour before making an emergency 
landing in Okinawa. His courageous actions and outstanding skill as a 
pilot helped avert a great disaster and save the lives of 272 
passengers and 20 crew members.
  Captain Reyes later had the courage to testify on behalf of the 
United States against al-Qaida master bomber Ramzi Yousef. In 1994, 
Yousef was working on a master plan, often called the Bojinka Plot, to 
bomb 12 U.S. passenger jets over the Pacific Ocean in a 2-day period, 
killing over 4000 civilians. The bombing of Captain Reyes' plane was a 
test run for that plan. And, as many here remember, Yousef was also 
responsible for the bombing of the World Trade Center in 1993. Captain 
Reyes' testimony at Ramzi Yousef's 1996 trial helped to put one of the 
world's most dangerous terrorists in prison for life.
  For his valor and clear thinking on December 11, 1994, and for his 
contribution to the fight against terrorism by testifying against Ramzi 
Yousef, I would like to commend Captain Reyes. The United States and 
countries throughout the world are indebted to him for these brave 
actions.

                          ____________________