{{Short description|Filipino lawyer, politician and police officer (1947–2025)}} {{Philippine name|Macusi|Acop}} {{Infobox officeholder | name = Romeo Acop | image = Rep. Romeo Acop (20th Congress).jpg | caption = Official portrait, 2025 | order = | office = Member of the Philippine House of Representatives from Antipolo's 2nd district | term_start = June 30, 2022 | term_end = December 20, 2025 | predecessor = Resurreccion Acop | successor = Bong Acop | term_start1 = June 30, 2010 | term_end1 = June 30, 2019 | predecessor1 = Angelito Gatlabayan | successor1 = Resurreccion Acop | birth_name = Romeo Macusi Acop | birth_date = {{Birth date|1947|03|11}} | birth_place = Sudipen, La Union, Philippines | death_date = {{Death date and age|2025|12|20|1947|03|11}} | death_place = Antipolo, Rizal, Philippines | party = NUP (2021–2025) | other_party = PDP–Laban (2017–2021)<br />Liberal (2012–2017)<br />Independent (2009–2012) | spouse = {{marriage|Resurreccion "Cion" Marrero||May 28, 2021|end=d.}} | relatives = | children = 3 (including Bong) | alma_mater = {{nobr|Philippine Military Academy (BS)}}<br>José Rizal University (LL.B) | occupation = Politician | profession = {{hlist|Lawyer|police officer}} | branch = Philippine Constabulary | branch_label = Branch | service_years = 1970–1991 | service_years_label = Service years | signature = | website = | footnotes = | module = {{Infobox police officer | other_names = | child = yes | service_years = 1991–2001 | service_label = Service | service = Philippine National Police | department_label = Divisions | department = {{plainlist| * CISC / CIDG * Directorate for Comptrollership}} | rank = 20px Chief superintendent }} }}
'''Romeo Macusi Acop''' (March 11, 1947 – December 20, 2025) was a Filipino police officer, lawyer, and politician who served as the representative for Antipolo's second district from 2010 to 2019, and again in 2022 until his death in 2025.
Educated at the Philippine Military Academy, Acop served as chief superintendent of the Criminal Investigation Service from 1994 until his resignation in 1995 following the Kuratong Baleleng rubout. He entered Congress in 2010 and served three full terms before being succeeded by his wife, Resurreccion. Following her death, he returned to Congress and served another two terms until his death in 2025.
He and his wife, who had also died in office four years prior, were the first husband and wife to both die while serving in Congress.
== Early life and education == Romeo Macusi Acop was born on March 11, 1947 in Sudipen, La Union.<ref>{{cite news |title=Kilalanin: Si dating Antipolo City 2nd District Rep. Romeo Acop na nakapansin kay 'Mary Grace Piattos' |trans-title=Get to Know: Former Antipolo City 2nd District Rep. Romeo Acop who noticed ‘Mary Grace Piattos’ |url=https://balita.mb.com.ph/2025/12/21/kilalanin-si-dating-antipolo-city-2nd-district-rep-romeo-acop-na-nakapansin-kay-mary-grace-piattos/ |access-date=21 December 2025 |work=Balita |date=21 December 2025|language=fil}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Romeo Acop |url=https://www.rappler.com/people/p67677876-romeo-macusi-acop/ |website=Rappler |access-date=21 December 2025 |date=21 December 2025}}</ref> Acop attended the Philippine Military Academy, graduating in the 1970 ''Magiting'' batch with Hermogenes E. Ebdane, Jr., a Governor of Zambales. He then studied law at the José Rizal University, graduating ''cum laude'' in 1986.<ref name=angpinoy>{{cite web|title=ROMEO M. ACOP – Representative, Second District of Antipolo|url=http://www.angpilipino.com/truly-pinoy/romeo-m-acop-representative-second-district-of-antipolo|accessdate=30 August 2012}}</ref>
== Police career == Acop then served in the Philippine National Police as chief of Criminal Investigation Service (CIS, now CIDG) from 1994 to 1995 with the rank of Chief Superintendent, which was equivalent to a brigadier general, during the Ramos government.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Mendez |first=Christina |last2=Diaz |first2=Jess |date=March 10, 2018 |title=Duterte gives subpoena powers to PNP chief, CIDG exec |url=https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2018/03/10/1795322/duterte-gives-subpoena-powers-pnp-chief-cidg-exec |access-date=2024-08-15 |website=Philstar.com}}</ref> He resigned as CIS in 1995 due to the Kuratong Baleleng rubout.<ref>{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5GdUsCmPNUM |title=Brigada Siete − Batas O Bala? (MISG, Philippine Constabulary, Kuratong Baleleng) FULL EPISODE |date=2023-11-02 |last=𝙅𝘼𝘾𝙊𝘽𝙎𝙃𝙇𝙏𝙍 − Throwback TV |access-date=2024-08-15 |via=YouTube}}</ref> In response to the resignation of Director General Panfilo Lacson as PNP Chief in January 2001, Acop, with two other prominent police officers, resigned their posts.<ref>{{cite web|title=THE PNP DESTABILIZERS|url=http://www.reocities.com/who_is_rosebud/PNPplotters.html|accessdate=30 August 2012}}</ref> By 2002, the CIDG reviewed the case against him due to the Dacer–Corbito double murder case.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Mendez |first=Christina |last2=Laude |first2=Jaime |date=2002-09-22 |title=New CIDG chief runs after Ping |url=https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2002/09/14/175901/new-cidg-chief-runs-after-ping |access-date=2024-08-15 |website=Philstar.com}}</ref>
== Congressional career == {{Independent sources|date=December 2025|section}}
=== Elections === Acop was first elected as the representative of Antipolo's second district to the House of Representatives of the Philippines in the 2010 election. He defeated eight competitors, including former Rizal Vice Governor Jestoni Alarcon, with a plurality of 31.36% of the vote.<ref name="comelec">{{Cite web |title=Official website of the Commission on Elections |url=http://www.comelec.gov.ph}}</ref> He sought reelection in the 2013 election, winning in a landslide against Councilor Lorenzo Sumulong III.<ref name="comelec" /> In the 2016 election, he ran for reelection unopposed.<ref name="comelec" />
Acop was term-limited by the 2019 election, and his wife, Resurreccion, ran to succeed him, winning the race unopposed.<ref>{{cite web |title=Halalan 2019 Philippine Election Results |url=https://halalanresults.abs-cbn.com/local/rizal/city-of-antipolo |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190706031122/https://halalanresults.abs-cbn.com/local/rizal/city-of-antipolo |archive-date=2019-07-06 |website=ABS-CBN News}}</ref> Resurrection died in 2021, creating a vacancy that lasted until the 2022 election. In that election, Acop ran to reclaim the seat, being elected unopposed.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2022-05-12 |title=2 unopposed Rizal candidates bag House of Representative seats |url=https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/05/12/22/2-unopposed-rizal-candidates-bag-house-of-representative-seats |access-date=2025-12-29 |work=ABS-CBN News}}</ref> In the 2025 election, he won reelection to the seat without contest.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Lalu |first=Gabriel Pabico |last2=cbuban |date=2025-05-14 |title=Win some, lose some: How key House personas fared in 2025 polls |url=https://www.inquirer.net/443763/win-some-lose-some-how-key-house-personas-fared-in-2025-polls/ |access-date=2025-12-28 |website=Inquirer.net |language=en}}</ref>
=== Tenure === thumb|175px|Acop's Commission on Appointments portrait for the 20th Congress Acop and AGHAM Partylist Representative Angelo Palmones filed a resolution to conduct an inquiry into the acquisition of 59,904 9-millimeter pistols for the Philippine National Police, which would cost around {{Philippine peso|1.2 billion|link=yes}}.<ref>{{cite web|title=Inquiry On PNP Procurement Of 9MM Pistols Sought|url=http://tuklasinnatin.com/2012/inquiry-on-pnp-procurement-of-9mm-pistols-sought/|accessdate=29 August 2012}} {{Dead link|date=December 2025}}</ref> He was one of the 56 representatives in the 16th Congress of the Philippines (out of 290 members) with a perfect attendance record.<ref>{{cite web|title=Gujab! Find out the 56 reps with spotless attendance record in Congress|url=http://politics.com.ph/gujab-find-56-reps-spotless-attendance-record-congress/|website=Politiko|date=18 July 2016|accessdate=26 April 2017}}</ref>
During a House inquiry into Vice President Sara Duterte's confidential funds in 2024, Acop flagged the name "Mary Grace Piattos", sharing the monikers of a restaurant chain and a potato chip brand, as an allegedly fictitious signatory on an acknowledgement receipt for confidential expenses.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/2007257/house-probe-ovp-deped-cfs-received-by-same-man-different-signatures|title=House probe: OVP, DepEd CFs received by same man, different signatures|first=Gabriel Pabico|last=Lalu|date=November 20, 2024|accessdate=December 22, 2025|website=INQUIRER.net}}</ref>
==Illness and death== On November 28, 2025, Acop was discharged after receiving a kidney transplant.<ref name=death>{{cite news |author=Quismorio, Ellson |title=Romeo Acop has passed away, says 'heartbroken' NUP Chairman Puno |url=https://mb.com.ph/2025/12/21/romeo-acop-has-passed-away-says-heartbroken-nup-chairman-puno |access-date=21 December 2025 |newspaper=Manila Bulletin |date=December 21, 2025}}</ref> He was found unconscious at his residence on December 20, and later died at the Assumption Specialty Hospital and Medical Center in Antipolo,<ref name=death/><ref>{{cite news |last1=Laqui |first1=Ian |title=Antipolo congressman Romeo Acop dies at 78 |url=https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2025/12/21/2495895/antipolo-congressman-romeo-acop-dies-78 |access-date=30 December 2025 |newspaper=The Philippine Star |date=December 21, 2025}}</ref> at the age of 78, following a heart attack.<ref>{{cite web|title=Antipolo City Rep. Romeo Acop has passed away at 78 |url=https://news.tv5.com.ph/breaking/read/antipolo-city-rep-romeo-acop-has-passed-away-at-78|work=News5 |date=December 21, 2025|access-date=December 21, 2025}}</ref> His remains were cremated and then brought to the Batasang Pambansa for a requiem mass and memorial service for him on December 29.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/12/29/house-pays-tribute-to-late-rep-acop-2015|title=House pays tribute to late Rep. Acop|first=Vivienne|last=Gulla|work=ABS-CBN News|date=December 29, 2025|accessdate=December 29, 2025}}</ref> His death triggered a special election in his constituency scheduled on March 14, 2026.<ref>{{cite news |last=Villanueva |first=Gillian |title=Comelec sets special polls in 2nd district of Antipolo City |url=https://www.inquirer.net/465191/fwd-comelec-to-hold-special-elections-in-antipolo-after-passing-of-rep-acop/ |newspaper=Philippine Daily Inquirer |date=January 14, 2026 |access-date=January 14, 2026}}</ref> His son Philip Conrad "Bong" won the election in a landslide.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2026-03-15 |title=Philip Acop wins in Antipolo's 2nd District special election |url=https://www.manilatimes.net/2026/03/15/news/philip-acop-wins-in-antipolos-2nd-district-special-election/2300171 |access-date=2026-03-15 |website=The Manila Times |language=en}}</ref>
==Electoral history== {| class="wikitable" style="font-size:90%; text-align:center;" |+ Electoral history of Romeo Acop ! rowspan="2" style="background:#eaecf0;" |Year ! rowspan="2" style="background:#eaecf0;" |Office ! colspan="2" rowspan="2" style="background:#eaecf0;" |Party ! colspan="4" style="background:#eaecf0;" |Votes received ! rowspan="2" style="background:#eaecf0;" |Result |- ! style="background:#eaecf0;" |Total ! style="background:#eaecf0;" | % ! style="background:#eaecf0;" |{{abbr|2=Position|P}}. ! style="background:#eaecf0;" |Swing |- ! 2010 | rowspan="5"|Representative (Antipolo–2nd) | style="background:{{Party color|Independent politician}};"| | Independent |32,281 |31.36% |1st | {{n/a}} | {{Won}} |- ! 2013 | rowspan="2" style="background:{{Party color|Liberal Party (Philippines)}};"| | rowspan="2"|Liberal |74,109 |61.79% |1st | {{n/a}} | {{Won}} |- ! 2016 |128,309 |80.79% |1st | {{n/a}} | {{Won|Unopposed}} |- ! 2022 | rowspan="2" style="background:{{Party color|National Unity Party (Philippines)}};"| | rowspan="2"|NUP |132,896 |100.00% |1st | {{n/a}} | {{Won|Unopposed}} |- ! 2025 |131,925 |100.00% |1st | {{n/a}} | {{Won|Unopposed}} |}
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== * {{Commons category-inline}} * [https://lawphil.net/judjuris/juri2002/jul2002/gr_134855_2002.html G.R. No. 134855 (July 2, 2002)]
{{s-start}} {{s-par|ph-lwr}} {{s-bef|before=Resurreccion Acop}} {{s-ttl|rows=2|title=Representative, 2nd District of Antipolo City |years=2022–2025<br>2010–2019}} {{s-aft|after=Bong Acop}} {{s-bef|before=Angelito Gatlabayan}} {{s-aft|after=Resurreccion Acop}} {{s-end}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Acop, Romeo}} Category:1947 births Category:2025 deaths Category:20th-century Filipino lawyers Category:Filipino police officers Category:Members of the House of Representatives of the Philippines from Antipolo Category:National Unity Party (Philippines) politicians Category:People from Antipolo Category:Ilocano people Category:Philippine Military Academy alumni Category:José Rizal University alumni Category:Philippine Constabulary personnel