Metro Manila, Philippines – The House of Representatives is mourning the death of Antipolo City Rep. Romeo Acop, a retired police officer who later served as a lawmaker for over a decade.
Acop died at the age of 78 on Saturday, Dec. 20. According to media reports, the lawmaker was recovering at home after a kidney transplant last Nov. 28.
In a statement on Sunday, House Speaker Faustino Dy III extended condolences to the family and loved ones of Acop, whom he said was a role model of integrity in public service.
Dy also described Acop as a politician who is honest and brave, and has a strong conviction.
“Malaking kawalan ang kanyang pagpanaw para sa Kongreso, para sa Antipolo at para sa sambayanang Pilipino,” Dy said.
“Gayunpaman, ang kanyang halimbawa bilang isang marangal at tapat na lingkod-bayan ay mananatili at patuloy na magsisilbing gabay sa mga institusyong kanyang pinaglingkuran,” he said.
[Translation: His passing is a great loss for Congress, for Antipolo and for the Filipino people. However, his example as a noble and honest public servant will remain and continue to serve as a guide for the institutions he served.]
Leyte Rep. Martin Romualdez, who served as speaker in the 19th Congress, noted Acop’s role as vice chairperson of the House quad committee, contributing to the chamber’s “most complex and politically sensitive inquiries with firmness, fairness, and professionalism.”
During the 19th Congress, the House quad committee conducted a probe into the links between the illegal drug trade, extrajudicial killings in the Duterte administration’s “war on drugs,” and illegal Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators.
“He was firm but fair. He asked the hard questions, but always within the bounds of decency and institutional respect. That kind of leadership elevated the credibility of the committee and the House itself,” Romualdez said.
Acop was the first to discover “Mary Grace Piattos,” the suspicious name found on acknowledgement receipts on Vice President Sara Duterte’s confidential funds.
He represented the second legislative district of Antipolo from 2010 to 2019, then 2022 to 2025.
From 1994 to 1995, Acop served as the chief of the Philippine National Police Criminal Investigation Service (which is currently called Criminal Investigation and Detection Group).
