On the occasion of Nelson Mandela International Day on July 18, Karapatan called for the release of the elderly political prisoners. On this same day, members of the Samahan ng mga Ex-Detainee Laban sa Detensyon at Aresto (SELDA) and other progressive organizations protested before the Department of Justice to continue calling for the release of all political prisoners nationwide. There are currently 754 detainees being held in different parts of the country.

Human rights groups specified Ruben and Presentacion Saluta, Frank Fernandez, Cleofe Lagtapon, Evangelne Rapanut and Albert and Virginia Villamor, elderly prisoners, all with trumped-up charges.

Ruben and Presentacion Saluta, 76 and 64 years old, were arrested on January 29, 2023 in General Santos City. They were former political prisoners who were released after the cases filed against them by the military were dismissed one by one. They are facing a new round of manufactured cases based on planted evidence and perjured testimonies of witnesses. Ruben was formerly a journalist, who also served as a consultant in the peace talks. Presentacion is a peasant organizer.

The couple Frank Fernandez, 76, and Cleofe Lagtapon, 71, were arrested on March 24, 2019 in Liliw, Laguna. Unjustly convicted by a Taguig City court on trumped-up charges of illegal possession of explosives, they face many other made-up cases in Negros and Bohol.

Evangeline Rapanut, 73, was arrested in Dasmarinas City, Cavite on May 31, 2022. A former Methodist deaconess, she faces several bogus charges including two counts of murder, frustrated murder, robbery and illegal possession of firearms and explosives.

Alberto and Virginia Villamor, 71 and 74-years-old, were arrested without a warrant on November 8, 2018 in Quezon City. They were also charged with illegal possession of firearms and explosives. Both are sickly and frail.

Nelson Mandela International Day is commemorated worldwide in recognition of Nelson Mandela, who was imprisoned for his struggle against apartheid in South Africa. He was a famous political detainee who became the president of his country. In 2014, his commemoration was set by the United Nations General Assembly to call on all states to ensure humane conditions in prisons, especially for political prisoners.