MANILA, Philippines -- For those who want a taste of the hamburger popularized by former Commission on Elections chairman Benjamin Abalos, the former government official has opened an outlet in Mandaluyong City.

The now famous “Ben’s Burjer” has its original home at the Wack-Wack Golf and Country Club where Abalos and other players in the controversial national broadband network agreement that includes First Gentleman Jose Miguel Arroyo had met with officials of China’s ZTE Corp.

"It is a merienda outlet...this [burger is from] the same source so the public can go...since Wack-Wack is private," said Abalos in a phone interview with INQUIRER.net.

The burger in “Ben's Burjer” tastes exactly like those being served in Wack-Wack although the price was cheaper, said Abalos.

"And even if you can get inside Wack-Wack, you cannot buy the burger because only members are served so those in the new outlet is in a way cheaper," he said.

Abalos' “hamburjer” instead of hamburger became famous when, in one of the inquiries by the Senate, the former Comelec chief debunked claims by NBN star witness Rodolfo Lozada that he had threatened to kill the ex-government consultant.

In that hearing, Abalos said that Lozada might have wanted the “hamburjer” so much that he had gone back to Wack-Wack despite the death threats.

But Lozada countered that he kept coming back to Wack-Wack because he worked with then socio-economic chairman Romulo Neri.

For Abalos, the “burjer” turned out to be a blessing as it had paved the way for the opening at Palanca corner Boni Avenue of another outlet, which his daughter was managing.

"Be my guest and try the burger," Abalos said.