MANILA - The one-time police chief of Rizal province returned to his post from where he was sacked a month ago following a supposed shootout that left 2 people dead, including the aide of a lawyer, an official said Wednesday.

Rizal police chief, Senior Supt. Lou Evangelista's officers shot dead Richard Santillan, a bodyguard of former Biliran Rep. and lawyer Glenn Chong, after he allegedly resisted arrest in December.

Santillan was suspected to be part of the “Highway Boys,” a group allegedly involved in robbery, illegal drugs, and murder.

The Public Attorney's Office however said its forensic experts found indications that Santillan was tortured before the shootout that also killed his female companion. The Calabarzon police denied this.

Evangelista's return to his old post was announced by Calabarzon police director, Chief Supt. Edward Carranza at a traditional New Year's call in Camp Vicente Lim.

Carranza did not give any other detail about the reassignment.

Senior Supt. Dionisio Bartolome, who temporarily took over Evangelista's post, was reassigned as police chief of Palawan province.

Chong earlier said Santillan's death may have something to do with his poll fraud case and that perpetrators may be out to find out who might be behind him.

The lawyer, who alleged that the supposed poll cheating in 2016 favored Vice President Leni Robredo, said he has no backer.

However, letters presented by Sen. Franklin Drilon in a Senate hearing last November supposedly show that Chong was among the authorized representatives of former Sen. Bongbong Marcos, who is contesting his defeat to Robredo in the vice presidential race.

Both the Marcos camp and Chong denied that he was part of the former senator's legal team.

Report from Dennis Datu, ABS-CBN News