VILLAR CUP ISABELA LEG DAY 2 RESULTS AND PHOTO

Santiago City – Former leg winners Francisco “Django” Bustamante, Ramil Gallego, Warren Kiamco and Roberto Gomez trounced their respective second round foes to further advance their bids for a second title even as Efren “Bata” Reyes remained in the hunt for his first in The Manny Villar Cup Isabela Leg yesterday at the La Salette High School Gymnasium here.

Bustamante followed up his 9-4 blasting of upstart Emil Martinez in the first round with a 9-1 manhandling of former national champion Lee Van Corteza as the 46-year-old former world no.1 moved a step closer to duplicating his title conquest of the Baguio-Panagbenga leg of this prestigious island-hopping series presented by Senator Manny Villar’s Villards: Tulong sa Pagsulong ng Philippine Sports.

Gallego, the Bulacan leg champion, demolished Richard Pornelosa, 9-2, for his second straight easy victory after a 9-4 triumph over local bet Abib Cullanan in the opening round of this three-day tournament co-organized by the Billiards Managers and Players Association of the Philippines, sponsored by Camella Communities and sanctioned by the Billiards and Snooker Congress of the Philippines.

Kiamco, who won the Villar Cup inaugural leg in May 2008 in Alabang, downed former double world champion Ronnie Alcano, 9-4.

Davao leg titlist Gomez, on the other hand, defeated Bugsy Promotions stablemate Michael Feliciano, 9-6. The 2007 World Pool Championship runner-up won his first round match against local qualifier Alvin Alcantara, 9-7.

Reyes used his vast experience to the hilt in disposing off Carlo Biado, 9-6, for his third straight quarterfinals stint in the Villar Cup.

“Medyo maganda ‘yung gising natin kanina,” quipped Bustamante, who quickly raced to a 4-0 start to set the tone for an unexpected rout of Corteza.

“Hindi ko nga inakala na matatambakan ko s’ya dahil alam naman natin kung gaano kagaling din ‘yan sa Van-van. Hindi lang naging maganda ‘yung break n’ya kaya sinamantala ko.”

Gallego, who won the Japan Open last March, was equally unforgiving. After winning the lag, the pride of Iloilo pocketed the first three racks and never gave the young Pornelosa a chance.

Meanwhile, Gomez shook off a so-so start that had him trailing 0-2 by capitalizing on Feliciano’s unforced errors in the middle of the match.

Also making it to the Last 8 were Ruben Cuna, Elmer Haya and Rene Mar David.

The unheralded Cuna, who made it to the event via the Manila qualifier, subdued Jomar de Ocampo, 9-6, while Haya upset Cebu leg titlist Gandy Valle, 9-4, and David beat local qualifier Allan Bravo of Solano, Nueva Vizcaya, 9-6.

The loss to Haya denied Valle a chance to repeat as champion and joined him with fellow big guns Rodolfo Luat and Dennis Orcollo in the sideline..

Luat and Orcollo hit the exit door right in the opening round with the former succumbing to Bravo, 9-5, and the latter bowing to Cuna, 9-8.

The quarterfinals and the semifinals were slated late yesterday with the finals to be played today.

The quarterfinals pit Reyes against Haya, Kiamco versus David, Gallego opposite Bustamante and Gomez against Cuna.

Apart from the prestigious Villar Cup trophy, the winner also receives P300,000 cash prize.