Philippines Senate President Manny Villar will file a resolution commending current world no.1 Dennis Orcollo for winning the 2008 Qatar International 9-Ball Open Championship last Saturday in Doha.
“By winning the tournament ... Orcollo has done the Philippines proud and has shown to the world the spirit of Filipino competitiveness and excellence,” said Villar.
Orcollo, who is known in the billiards circuit as the “Robocop”, captured the crown and the $40,000 top purse in the week long tournament after beating world #2 Niels Feijen of the Netherlands, 13-5, in the finals.
The 29-year-old Surigao del Sur native had also beaten top-caliber players in former world champions Oliver Ortmann and Ralf Souquet of Germany as well as compatriots Ramil Gallego and Warren Kiamco on his way to clinching his third title this year after the Quezon City 9-Ball Championship and the All-Japan Open in March.
He also had a runner-up finish in the First Senate President Manny Villar Cup Cebu Leg last month.
Villar also commended the rest of the Filipino players competed in the tournament, led by Billiards Managers and Players Association of the Philippines (BMPAP)'s Efren “Bata” Reyes, Alex Pagulayan, Ronnie Alcano, Francisco “Django” Bustamante, Roberto Gomez, Gandy Valle, Joven Bustamante, Lee Van Corteza, Benjie Guevarra, Gallego and Kiamco.
Villar said he will continue to support billiards, convinced that Filipinos will continue to shine in this sport in international competitions.
Villar has become the biggest benefactor of Philippine billiards, and his holding of the island-hopping Villar Cup series has provided Filipino pool players chance to further hone their skills.
The Villar Cup already had two highly-successful legs in Alabang and Cebu. It will have its third stop in Bulacan this month to be followed the Davao leg in August.
