Be careful what you wish for

“Be careful what you wish for” they say, but better yet, “be careful how you go about trying to acquire what you wish for.” We’ve all heard about people who are so determined to get what they want that they will pursue it at any cost, through bribery, deceit or manipulation.

Before sharing some insider information on business and politics, let me set things up with the story about a biblical mother-and-son team named Rebekah and Jacob in the book of Genesis chapter 27++. This particular mother-and-son gained notoriety and popularity as the example of how favoritism and deceit to gain power come at a price.

Having conceived a child/son late in her marriage, it has been said that Rebekah suffered great humiliation, bullying perhaps from the other wife of Isaac and presumably fear and anxiety about the future. In order to overcome all these, Rebekah may have been the first “Maritess” in the Bible who turned information into the opportunity of a lifetime.

Having heard that Isaac was about to give his generational blessing to his favorite son Esau after the latter prepares his favorite dish of wild meat, Rebekah quickly organizes a counter move by making her son Jacob smell and feel like Esau and prepares a similar dish. The almost blind Isaac falls for the ruse and gives Jacob the blessing.

The matter is soon discovered upon Esau’s return. With Esau uttering murderous threats, Rebekah sends Jacob to her clan far, far away. Thereafter Jacob learns that his illegitimate blessings do come with a curse. He is forced to go into exile instead of ruling the roost. He now has to adjust and be under the leadership of his uncle, he is demoted from being a son down to being a nephew and hired hand.

He found solace and inspiration with his “true love” Rachel and worked seven years for her to be his wife, but was tricked on the wedding night when Rachel was replaced by the less than perfect Leah, the older sister. He had to work another seven years to have Rachel, and year after year he played deceit and counter deceit with his father-in-law Laban, until he decided to escape back to his own tribe and face the wrath of Esau.

In spite of his deceitful nature, Jacob owns up, eats humble pie, even wrestles with God and gets a second chance, but is not spared the deceit of his sons, who sold their brother Joseph “the Dreamer” into slavery.

I was reminded about this Bible story when a congressional candidate opened up that he was not doing well in his bid for Congress. I had assumed that he would easily win the seat, given that he was born and raised in the district, has held government positions in the past and has actively served in the district for years.

He shared that while they have managed to get commitments of support from donors, etc., their funds are no match to a young newcomer with money coming out of his ears. If reports are true, the people connected with the newcomer have allegedly given P50 million per mayor in the district.

They even offered the experienced candidate P350 million to withdraw or commit to a limp and wimp campaign. Based on this, the cost for the congressional seat would be close to a billion pesos by 2025.

A few weeks after that, I attended a year-end lunch with businessmen and veteran journalists where everybody shared information, insight and analysis, but all I could share was how some good mayors are losing their political support because some businessmen have been throwing money into barangays and “NGOs-kuno,” practically creating a bidding war of sorts.

Manila, Baguio and Pasig are just a few of the places where the BIR and the AMLAC should look for unexplained wealth and lifestyle check among barangay captains and councilors.

Quite a number of incumbents at the LGU level are declaring “no-contest” against last-term members of Congress that have control of the fund sources beginning from DPWH projects, DepEd construction, funds for public health as well as funds for disaster relief, all of which make the aspiring LGU candidate look good.

Then I shared how a maverick young businessman was allegedly using his profits from business in order to get the support of mayors. I said with disgust that from the looks of it, good governance, blood relations and integrity have all been canceled at the price of P50 million apiece and P10 million for barangay captains.

That’s when a very astute businessman told me that “my candidate” won’t lose because someone has already committed to support the guy, the gentleman explained that an even “bigger businessman” has an axe to grind against the newbie congressional aspirant.

It seems that “the bigger businessman” had a “shoot out” or “right of first refusal” arrangement with the “newbie” if either one of them decided to sell or buy their share of the company. “Newbie” allegedly did not manifest transparency and goodwill when he made a deal with a third party without informing the older “bigger businessman.”

So just like Jacob, the newbie burned bridges not just with a former partner but his community as well, made new enemies entering into politics and overlooked the facts that the older bigger businessman has several media assets.

Newbie might get elected as congressman, but I have heard of similar individuals who were “unexplainably” sidelined because of powers that be. Never underestimate the fuel called “Revenge.”