TITLE II EXECUTIVE BRANCH Chapter 1 Executive Power SECTION 1. Executive Power. - The executive power shall be vested in the Regional Governor. (1) The Regional Governor shall be the Chief Executive of the Regional Government; and (2) The Regional Governor shall be assisted by cabinet members who are heads of devolved and/or to be devolved departments, line agencies/offices which maybe devolved or created through legislation. SEC. 2. The Regional Vice Governor. - The Regional Vice-Governor may be appointed by the Regional Governor as a member of the regional cabinet without need of confirmation by the Regional Assembly. SEC. 3. Election of the Governor and Vice Governor. - The Regional Governor and the Regional Vice-Governor shall be elected as a team, by the qualified voters of the autonomous region. A vote for a candidate for Regional Governor shall be counted as a vote for his teammate for Regional Vice-Governor. A vote for a Regional Vice-Governor shall be counted as a vote for his teammate for Regional Governor. For purposes of their election, the candidates for Regional Governor and Regional Vice-Governor shall belong to the same political party or coalition of parties. SEC. 4. Removal of Regional Governor or Regional Vice-Governor. – The Regional Governor or the Regional Vice-Governor shall be removed from office for culpable violation of the Constitution or the Organic Act, treason, bribery, graft and corruption, other high crimes, or betrayal of public trust by a three-fourths (3/4) vote of all members of the Regional Assembly. The proceeding of the Regional Assembly for the removal of the Regional Governor or Regional Vice Governor shall be presided over by the Presiding Justice of the Court of Appeals. The Regional Assembly may initiate moves for the removal of the Regional Vice Governor under this Section by a majority vote of all its members. The Regional Assembly shall promulgate the necessary rules to carry out the purpose of this Section. The Regional Governor may also be suspended or removed by the President for culpable violation of the constitution, treason, bribery, graft and corruption, and other high crimes. Notwithstanding the provisions of the immediately preceding paragraphs, the Regional Governor or the Regional Vice Governor may be charged criminally for any offense before the proper regional trial court. The said court may order his or her preventive suspension from office for not more than two (2) months pending the termination of the criminal case or cases. The court may also order the removal of the Regional Governor or the Regional Vice Governor from office as a part of its decision of conviction. 13