MANILA, Philippines ? A cause oriented group called for the release of all political prisoners a day after suspected mutineer Marine Colonel Ariel Querubin was given provisional liberty by the military.

In a statement, the group Samahan ng mga Ex-detainees Laban sa Detensyon at Para sa Amnestiya (Selda), said that they welcomed the release of Querubin but urged the current administration to also set free all 420 political prisoners nationwide.

Selda Secretary General Marie Hilao Enriquez added, ?it is but just to release Col. Querubin as well as the other victims of illegal arrest and arbitrary detention during the past administrations.?

Querubin, who was charged with mutiny for his alleged participation in the 2006 Marine Stand-off at Fort Bonifacio, was given provisional liberty by armed forces chief General Ricardo David, Jr. Wednesday.

Enriquez particularly cited the Morong 38, the group of community health workers and doctors arrested for being supposed members of the New People?s Army last February 6. The group is being detained at Camps Bagong Diwa and Capinpin.

?Political prisoners, whom the government has charged with fabricated common criminal cases, are worse off because most of them suffered torture and inhumane treatment during their arrest,? Enriquez said.

Enriquez also urged the administration to stop the practice of persecution of political dissenters and criminalizing political dissent.

Selda was founded in December 1984 by former political prisoners during the martial law era under former president Ferdinand Marcos.