Lawmakers Mourn Passing Of Antipolo Rep. Acop

(Photo: PNA file)

MANILA, Philippines (PNA)—Members of the House of Representatives on Sunday mourned the passing of Antipolo City Rep. Romeo Acop (2nd District), who died of a heart attack on Saturday, 20 December 2025. He was 78.

Former House Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez was among the first lawmakers to pay tribute, describing Acop as a principled leader and tireless public servant whose work strengthened congressional oversight, particularly through his role in the House Quad Committee.

“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, a lawyer and a former police general, he said, never sought headlines and remained guided by the belief that public office is a public trust.

Romualdez extended his condolences to Acop’s family, friends, and constituents, saying the late House leader leaves behind a legacy defined by the reforms he helped push and the standards he set in congressional oversight.

Deputy Speaker Ronaldo Puno, a close friend of Acop, confirmed the lawmaker’s death and described him as a “devoted, courageous, and honest public servant.”

“The Congress and our country are the lesser for his loss,” Puno said.

House Speaker Faustino Dy III said Acop’s passing was a great loss to Congress, Antipolo City, and the Filipino people.

Manila 6th District Rep. Benny Abante said Acop consistently stood on the side of justice and never lost sight of the victims whose voices Congress was duty-bound to hear, citing his courage, clarity, and moral conviction during critical hearings.