INQUIRER Sports

ILOILO CITY ? Pool maestro Efren ?Bata? Reyes and two-time world champion Ronnie Alcano survived the upset-laden round of 32 Saturday, trouncing their respective foes in The Manny Villar Cup Iloilo leg at the SM City here.

Reyes downed Joven Bustamante, 9-5, while Alcano blasted Russian Petiza, 9-4, as both pool icons remained in the hunt for their first title in the island-hopping series.

Reyes advanced to the round of 16 against Joey Pardales, who stunned Rodolfo Luat, 9-7, while Alcano faces Ramil Gallego, who eliminated Jarry Pelayo, 9-7.

Lee Van Corteza opened his bid to become the first back-to-back champion of the tournament co-organized by the Billiards Managers and Players Association of the Philippines (BMPAP) and sanctioned by the Billiards and Snooker Congress of the Philippines (BSCP) with a 9-1 demolition of Darwin Mendoza.

Also gaining ground were Edgie Geronimo, who thwarted Michael Feliciano, 9-7; Richard Pornelosa, who eliminated Mike Takayama, 9-7; Carlo Biado, who edged Eduardo Sy Jr., 9-6; Benjie Guevarra, who routed Ricky Zerna, 9-1; Joemar De Ocampo, who whipped Rene Mar David, 9-1; and William Millares, who subdued lone female entry Rubilen Amit, 9-7.

Warren Kiamco and Gandy Valle also made the second round, but former world No. 1a Django Bustamante and Dennis Orcollo and Roberto Gomez bowed out after surprising losses right in the first round.

Unheralded Steve Villamil upset Bustamante, 9-8, while Elmer Haya ended Orcollo?s bid for first title in the tournament with a 9-2 victory. Gomez bowed to unheralded Jomel Sultan, 5-9.

Kiamco, winner of the initial staging of the Villar Cup in 2008, and Valle, also a former champion, beat Mark Moreno, 9-7, and Judy Villanueva, 9-7, respectively.