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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider Late Romeo Acop's presence felt in plenary as House advances his bill

Late Romeo Acop's presence felt in plenary as House advances his bill

Published May 22, 2026 12:50 am

At A Glance

  • The House approved on second reading HB No. 8702, raising the compulsory retirement age of PNP personnel from 56 to 57.
  • The bill, authored by the late Rep. Romeo Acop and supported by his son Rep. Philip Conrad Acop, amends Section 39 of RA 6975.
  • Sponsored by Rep. Rolando Valeriano and co-authored by Majority Leader Sandro Marcos, the measure is expected to pass on third reading next week.
The late Antipolo City 2nd district Rep. Romeo Acop (Facebook)
The late Antipolo City 2nd district Rep. Romeo Acop (Facebook)


The late Antipolo City 2nd district Rep. Romeo Acop's name echoed in plenary on Wednesday night, May 20, almost as if he was there.
This, after one of his pet measures in the 20th Congress, titled An Act increasing the compulsory retirement age for uniformed personnel of the Philippine National Police (PNP) from 56 years old to 57 years old was approved on second reading during plenary session.
Embodied in HB No. 8702, the measure was a consolidation of seven individual bill, with Acop being the foremost author due to him being a retired PNP brigadier general.
His son and successor to his House seat, Rep. Philip Conrad Acop, was among those who manisfested support for HB No. 8702.
In a rather amusing but "fitting" mistake, Rep. Acop was introduced to the floor as his late father, Romeo Acop.
"Good evening, may I manifest that I am not Representative 'Romeo Acop'. I am Representative Philip Conrad Acop," the incumbent Antipolo 2nd district congressman sheepishly said.
The presiding officer at that time, Deputy Speaker Misamis Oriental 2nd district Rep. Yevgeny Vincente Emano, responded by saying, "Let me correct myself, Congressman Philip Acop. Sir, you are recognized, and my apologies."
Rep. Acop said the measure sought to amend Section 39 of Republic Act (RA) No. 6975, also known as the Department of the Interior and Local Government Act of 1990, as amended.
"This measure is deeply personal to me. This bill was among the priority advocacies of my father, the late honorable Romeo M. Acop, whose life was defined by decades of dedicated service to the [PNP] and the Filipino people," he said.
Rep. Acop said that throughout the public life of his father, he "remained a steadfast advocate of the welfare, dignity, and personal development of our uniformed personnel".
"He knew the sacrifices demanded by the profession, the pressures carried by those in uniform, and the immense value of experience ans leadership within the ranks of the [PNP].
"It is therefore with profound respect for hsi legacy and with full conviction in the merits of this measure that I stand before this chamber today in support of HB No. 8702," Rep. Acop said.
He said the proposed adjustment in compulsory retirement age was "modest, measured, and reasonable". "Yet despite its modesty, its impact would be meaningful and far-reaching."
For 'institutional stability'
The neophyte congressman said that many officers who reach the age of 56 "remain physically fit, mentally sharp, and professionally effective".
"Indeed, it is often at this stage in their careers that they possess the greatest institutional knowledge, operational wisdom, and leadership maturity. Allowing them to continue serving for an additional year enables the [PNP] to retain invaluable experience and expertise that would otherwise be lost prematurely," he added.
Rep. Acop further said that the measure "promotes institutional stability" within the national police force.
The PNP is a civilian force that's under the control of the DILG.
Manila 2nd district Rep. Rolando Valeriano, chairman of the Committee on Public Order and Safety, was the one who sponsored HB No. 8702. The plenary discussions was relatively swift as it only took some 10 minutes, afterwhich voice vote was commenced.
Presidential son, Majority Leader Ilocos Norte 1st district Rep. Sandro Marcos is among the authors of the measure, which is expected to be passed on third and final reading next week.
Known for his no-nonsense and firm but fair demeanor, Acop passed away at the age of 78 on Dec. 20, 2025. His death came less than a month after having a successful kidney transplant.
He gained fame during the previous 19th Congress as the overall vice chairman of the vaunted House quad-committee (quad-comm)--the mega-panel that grilled former president Rodrigo Duterte over various controversies including the bloody war on drugs.

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PNP Second reading House of Representatives Romeo Acop Retirement age
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