Acop’s son wins Antipolo election

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March 16, 2026 | 12:00am

MANILA, Philippines — Philip Conrad Acop has been elected to represent Antipolo City’s 2nd District in the House of Representatives, a post left vacant when his father, Romeo, died last year.

Based on the official Commission on Elections (Comelec) tally, Acop secured 60,051 votes, far ahead of his closest rival Reden Llaga, who obtained 12,054 votes.

Other candidates trailed, with Irvin Paulo Tapales receiving 10,080 votes, Nathaniel Lobigas with 754, Dandin Infante with 412 and Maria Trinidad Galang Cafirma with 199.

According to the Comelec, the figures were based on consolidated results from clustered precincts SSOV-0001, SSOV-0002 and SSOV-0003 as of 3:40 a.m. yesterday.

Comelec Chairman George Garcia said Acop was proclaimed the winner after the canvassing of votes yesterday.

“At exactly 3 a.m., the new congressman was proclaimed. Mr. Acop received 60,051 votes with around a 33-percent voter turnout in the second district of Antipolo,” Garcia said in a radio interview.

The district has 252,793 registered voters in 36 polling centers and 348 clustered precincts.

He described the conduct of the special election as peaceful and orderly, noting that election authorities did not record any major irregularities during the voting and canvassing.

“The election in Antipolo was very clean, orderly and peaceful,” Garcia said, adding that the smooth process was made possible through the cooperation of election personnel, security forces and voters.

Col. Eleazar Barber Jr., Rizal police chief, said police personnel remain on standby in their respective areas to assist the Comelec in transporting and safeguarding the ballots.

Barber said the gun ban remains until March 29.

Brig. Gen. Hansel Marantan, Calabarzon police director, said the peaceful election was the result of collective effort among the police, military and other security agencies.

Voting started at 5 a.m. for about 4,000 senior citizens, persons with disabilities and pregnant women. Regular voters started casting their votes at 7 a.m.

Garcia said the early voting hours for the vulnerable sectors, first implemented in the 2025 general elections, would continue to be adopted in future polls to make voting more accessible.

The Comelec is preparing for the Bangsamoro parliamentary election and the barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections in November.

Garcia said the poll body has already completed printing ballots and continues voter registration ahead of the polls. — Ed Amoroso