Bacolod 's pride Ramil “Bebeng” Gallego registered back-to-back comprehensive victories yesterday to reach the last 64 of the Philippine World Pool Championship at the Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City .

Gallego, playing under the banner of Negros Billiard Stable of Jonathan Sy, outplayed Chan Ken Kwang of Singapore , 9-4, and reigning Guinness Asian 9-ball tour winner Chang Jung-ling of Taiwan , 9-1.

Two other Filipino big guns --- Francisco “Django” Bustamante and Alex Pagulayan --- also advanced with two quick victories apiece.

The power-breaking Bustamante from Tarlac City beat South African Zbynek Vaic, 9-4, and Korean Jeong Young-hwa, 9-0, while Pagulayan, the 2004 world champion, shut out Hamsa Mohammaed of Eritrea , before posting a 9-6 win over Martin Kempter of Austria .

The three Filipinos were assured of $2,000 for making the knockout phase.

But Lee Vann Corteza, the reigning National Open champion suffered a 7-9 defeat at the hands of Serbian Goran Mladenovic.

The top player of the NBS blew the chance of reaching the hill first when he missed an easy shot on the green six, leaving an open table and giving his opponent an 8-7 lead.

Meanwhile, Antonio Gabica, the 2006 Doha Asian Games 9-ball gold, survived Malaysian Ibrahim Bin Amir, 9-6, in a knockout match.

Efren "Bata" Reyes, the 1999 winner, defending champion Ronato Alcano and Joven Bustamante barged into the round of 64 Saturday. *CPT

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