Firecracker victim Jarry Pelayo bounced back from a heart-breaking setback, venting his ire on fellow Negros Billiard Stable player Panfilo Damuag, 9-2, yesterday on the second day of the BSCP National Pool Championships at the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex in Manila.

But much of the talk on day 2 was the off-table problem of double world champion Ronnie Alcano, who is facing rape charges filed by his 14-year-old daughter. Visibly out of his element, Alcano lost to unheralded Fidel Punzalan, 5-9, and later admitted that his legal problems have affected by the case.

One of NBS' premiere players, Pelayo, who lost a tight battle against Asian Games gold medalist Antonio Gabica, 8-9, Monday night, kept his title hopes alive in the tournament that stakes P500,000 for the men's champion.

But the NBS' lone female bet, Minse Grace Mercurio failed to sustain her giant-killing ways, going down convincingly to top-ranked Rubylyn Amit, 0-7. Mercurio's next opponent has yet to be known as of press deadline.

Veteran Ramil Gallego of Bacolod City kept his unbeaten slate, prevailing against Victor Arpellida, 9-7, for his second win, joining defending champion Alex Pagulayan, Dennis Orcollo, Leonardo Andam, Roberto Luat and Lee Van Corteza on top of the winners' bracket.

Gallego will face Gabica next.

Pagulayan bested OFW Elvis Calasang, 9-4; Orcollo trounced another OFW Al James Ortega, 9-5, and Andam beat Russian Petiza, 9-7.

Playing under the NBS group of Bacolod businessman Jonathan Sy, Luat defeated Roberto Dy, 9-2, while Corteza trounced Junjel Mazon, 9-5.

Corteza, the top ranked NBS player, took a 2-0 lead before Mazon level the count at 2-2 count winning the third and fourth frame.

But Corteza won five of the next six racks to post his second straight victory and remain in the winner's brackets.

In the day's other upset, Godofredo Ducanes of NBS beat Warren Kiamco, 9-6.

Corteza took a 2-0 lead before Mazon levelled the count at 2-2 count winning the third and fourth frames.

The game was tied again at 4-4 count after Mazon won the 8th frame. From then, Corteza took five of the next six racks to post his second straight victory.

Alcano was on the brink to two racks advantage but came up empty break in the 10th rack allowing his counterpart to level the count at 5-all. *PP

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