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Joker
plays down motion to dismiss Openness The country's worst political crisis since the early 1980s has broken out -- ironically triggered by a squabble between two gambling overlords, both close friends of President Estrada. Ilocos Sur Gov. Luis "Chavit" Singson's allegations against Estrada -- that he has received over P400 million in protection money from jueteng operators -- has triggered an uproar calling for his ouster. Estrada calls the allegations lies fabricated by an opposition plot. He says he still has the mandate to govern. The opposition claims that the credibility of the presidency has suffered such irreparable damage that he can no longer govern. Whoever is right, the standoff has created such political instability, which, if unresolved soon, could lead to an economic crisis. From a scandal we called Bad Bets, developments have created what we now call Bad Times. As a service to the Inquirer.net's readers and to the nation, we have set up this special section as an information storehouse on the issue. It will contain the INQUIRER's news articles and opinion pieces dealing with the controversy from the very first day it broke out. It will contain reproductions of documents and position papers on the controversy. It will also try to present Filipinos' sentiment on the controversy, through online polls and a feedback section.
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