MANILA, Philippines -- The Sanctuary Fund for whistle-blowers, conceived primarily for the legal defense of Rodolfo Noel Lozada Jr., has now reached close to P1 million, Senate Majority Leader Francis Pangilinan told INQUIRER.net in a phone interview Friday.

At the same time, Pangilinan said the Association of Major Religious Superiors in the Philippines (AMRSP), which handles the fund, has received inquiries from as far as San Francisco, New York, and Chicago on how to contribute.

"This has become an international fundraising activity. The AMRSP is in the process of setting up the mechanisms for donations in dollars," he said.

"As of February 22, 2:30 p.m. or after seven days, donation to the AMRSP Sanctuary Fund total balance is P997,547.75," he said.

Pangilinan was the one who suggested the setting up of the fund during the first NBN hearing that Lozada attended, where the former head of the Philippine Forest Corp. accused ex-elections chief Benjamin Abalos Sr. and First Gentleman Jose Miguel Arroyo of putting pressure on the government to approve the overpriced contract with China’s ZTE Corp. in order to collect P130 million in kickbacks.

Pangilinan invited former socioeconomic planning secretary Romulo Neri to avail of the fund. "But he has to decide to reveal all," he said. "This is not just for Lozada, but also for victims of human rights violations."

The senator just asked alumni of the University of the Philippines to contribute to the fund in "100 taon, 100 piso para sa katotohan (100 years, 100 pesos for truth)" project. UP is celebrating its centennial anniversary.

"The UP alumni are going back to the battlefront in our collective effort to uphold and defend the truth and to help provide sanctuary to whistle-blowers like Lozada…I am urging all those who believe that truth should prevail to contribute to this fund," he said, noting that the almost P1 million fund was raised in just seven days.

He said check donations may be sent to AMRSP special funds at 28 Acacia Street, Quezon City, with phone numbers (+632) 724-4434 and (+632) 448-5644; donations may also be directly deposited to MBTC Account No. 3259-07445-3.

"Please contact Sister Estrella Castalone for details,” Pangilinan said. “Make a stand for our nation's future."