In a message posted in his Facebook account, PROGUN CHAIRMAN MIKE MELCHOR announced his resignation from our organization which with heavy hearts that our President, Atty. JJ D. Mendoza and Secretary-General Atty. Ticky Tabujara have accepted as of today, June 2, 2010. The decision to sever his ties with the organization is very untimely since we are in the middle of preparations for the Gun Summit that will be held on Friday, June 4, 2010. Regarding his allegations that the organization did not serve the interest of the gunowners of this country, its not for us to brag about it. PROGUN exists to protect the interests of the gunowners and its up to them to judge us, including our FORMER CHAIRMAN MIKE MELCHOR. We wish him good luck in his future endeavors and he will be missed dearly by PROGUN officers.
My Good Friend Atty JJFAT is being quite gracious and polite.
In truth, Mike Melchor did not resign. He was eased out last year by the majority board members who were set to oust him via a board majority vote. However, in deference to Mike, the board just left him as is, without any mandate or support whatsoever, and gave him the option just simply to take a graceful exit.
In an arbitrary act of retaliation, Mike Melchor, deleted our accounts in the Facebook Page of PROGUN last year.
There were numerous problems and issues against the manner in which Mike Melchor handled himself within the organization. Under Mike there was no leadership and the organization was going nowhere. There were a lot of theories and ideas but nothing bore fruit. Crucial opportunities were lost, and the organization failed and/or neglected to give its statement or act on critical gun issues. We never saw Mike handle a gun, shoot, or go to the range, which we regularly did as gun afficionados. Instead, Mike was merely concerned with his own painting and art work, and his Yoshinkan Aikido business which he used Progun booth at the gun show to advertise for him. The organization was accused of not being active enough and lacking visibility. In fact, during that time, PROGUN was practically not accomplishing anything.
The only thing Progun was doing was maintaining an AFAD sponsored booth at the annual gun show and accept memberships, and few talks at the show by Melchor himself.
We were also concerned with money matters. There has been no satisfactory accounting of money in the coffers of the organization. This is one of the things that the new set of officers will tackle.
Being fed up with all these matters, and desiring to resurrect and revitalize an organization that was decaying through inaction, we the younger board members initiated last year a vote of no confidence in Mike Melchor and his administration. With the backing of the majority of the board, Mike Melchor was told point blank what the problems were, and he was eased aside. We have not seen nor heard from Mike Melchor since last year.
Ironically, since Mike’s departure, the organization has flourished and become more dynamic. We participated as cluster head and sat on the National Firearms Summit last May 2009 and pushed for the amnesty program for loose firearms and expired licenses last August. As a result of our good performance, we were given a seat on the National Firearms Executive Committee of the PNP. Through our campaign, we were able to successfully block the infamous anti-gun Bill No. HB 6776 in the House and Senate last year. As a result of our efforts we have a newly-gained recognition as the premier organization fighting for the right to bear arms in the Philippines, with our online presence in our newly established web site at http://www.progun.ph, and our forum in http://www.pinoyguns.com. Already, our online articles and position papers, and research statistics on firearms, are being cited by respectable newspapers such a Business Week, Philippine Star, Inquirer, and TV and Radio Programs such as GMA 7, and DZMM, which we have been invited and guested on recently.
Our most satisfactory accomplishment this year is our successful online campaign and support for newly Pro-gun President NoyNoy Aquino.
This June 4, 2010, PROGUN has once again been invited and shall attend as a main participant in the 2nd Firearms Summit of the Philippine national Police. PROGUN is the lead, and most credible, organization which is opposing the current proposed gun ban extension in the Philippines.
All of this never happened under the Chairmanship of Mike Melchor. Consequently, we the present board, view his departure as a blessing for the organization which paves the way for progress and much greater things, under younger and more dynamic leadership.