Philippine Senator Risa Hontiveros has called for a complete ban on Philippine Offshore Gambling Operators (POGOs), or online gambling companies, from operating in the country, saying the companies' business models include human trafficking.

On Wednesday, Hontiveros and Senator Gatchalian went to inspect an online gambling company in Bamban Township, Tarlac Province, which was raided on suspicion of human trafficking and illegal detention.

The senator said: "Scam gangs use online gambling companies as their legal front. Even though these companies are legally legitimate, they have never brought any benefit to Philippine society. From the beginning, these companies have exacerbated problems in our society.”

During the search, senators learned that the Philippine Anti-Organized Crime Commission discovered six Chinese fugitives suspected of running romance scams and cryptocurrency investment scams.

Authorities also found mobile phones hanging from metal racks and a large number of SIM cards that could have been used to conduct fraudulent transactions.

Hontiveros noted that the raided online gambling center was similar to previous raids, with offices equipped with computer workstations, as well as instruction manuals and scripts for romance scams and crypto scams.

She filed Senate Resolution 1001 on Tuesday calling for an investigation into the use of forged documents by foreigners to obtain Philippine citizenship. In her resolution, she cited the findings of the Senate Committee on Women, Children, Family Relations and Gender Equality, which revealed that the visa-on-arrival program was abused by Chinese POGO employees who wanted unrestricted access to the Philippines.