President Duterte may be open to running for vice president in next year's elections but he actually has no ambition for power, according to Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Salvador Panelo.

Panelo has dismissed speculations that Duterte was out to control the Office of the President (OP) when he seeks vice presidency next year, saying he merely aims to render public service.

"For those who have an apprehension that a VPRRD will only control the Office of the President, their fears are unfounded, and illogical as well," Panelo said in a statement Saturday, July 10.

"The President, in stark contrast to other politicians, actually has no ambition for power or position. The only impetus of the man is his obedience to the constitutional command to serve and protect the people. Accordingly, he only seeks to serve the people in such capacity that they wish him to serve in," he said.

Besides, Panelo pointed out that no president would allow a subordinate to control and dictate upon him or her.

"More so, no president will resign after winning a hard-fought election and simply hand the mandate given to her by the electorate to her vice president. That would not only be farfetched but would be an affront to the democratic process of our country," he said.

After some critics questioned Duterte's possible vice presidential run, Panelo also insisted there was no legal obstacle if the President would pursue such poll bid.

Duterte, who promised to eliminate drugs and corruption, will end his six-year term next year and is not eligible for reelection under the Constitution. The ruling party, however, has asked the President to run for vice president and choose the standard bearer in the 2022 elections supposedly to ensure the continuity of their reform agenda.

"What the Constitution does not prohibit, it allows. Had the framers of the Constitution intended to prevent a president from seeking any other public office, they would have said so by way of a constitutional provision," Panelo said.

But Panelo argued that that the constitutional prohibition only "refers to re-election and not to succession to the the presidency." He noted there have been precedents when past presidents have been elected to another post.

President Duterte, in a recent meeting with the ruling PDP-Laban party leaders, declared he was seriously thinking of running for vice president, saying he was touched by their expression of support. But Duterte pressed the administration party to search a viable standard bearer, saying he was concerned he might end up being an inutile vice president if the winning president won't be an ally.

Duterte previously said he would not run for vice president if House Majority Leader Martin Romualdez would vie for the post. Duterte claimed he already made a promise support Romualdez in case he runs for the second-highest post in the country. The Leyte congressman later said he would keep his options open but admitted it was not a good decision to run against the President.