On the heels of the sensational face-off between Senators Raffy Tulfo and Cynthia Villar over the indiscriminate use of arable land for commercial and industrial projects, more than 75 civic groups are now calling for Villar to step down as chairperson of two committees in the chamber over allegations of conflict of interest.

Tulfo in his interpellation last week of Villar, who is sponsoring the Department of Agriculture's budget for 2023, raised the practice of private developers of converting farmlands into residential and commercial spaces.

"Our farms are shrinking. Big developers buy farmlands and convert these into residential and commercial lands. What is the DA doing to address this?" Tulfo asked.

Among the groups which signed the petition for Villar to leave her Senate positions are the Anakpawis Partylist, Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamalakaya ng Pilipinas, Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas, several chapters of Agham Youth, UP Diliman University Student Council, UP Ibalon, UP Manila Pre-Law Society, UP Visayas College of Arts and Sciences Student Council and the Youth Advocates for Climate Action Philippines.

Villar turned defensive on Tulfo's query and retorted "You know, that's our business. I want to tell you that we don't buy agricultural lands in the provinces. Nobody will buy houses on agricultural lands."

Villar's response earned a call to give up her chairmanship in the Senate panel which is being blamed in the past years of sitting on at least three bills that would have delineated the proper use of the country's riches.

The National Land Use Act, a priority of former President Rodrigo Duterte, is one of these bills stalled in Villar's panel. It seeks to establish clear rules on land exploitation that will, in effect, limit the capability of developers to convert land for housing and commercial projects.

The two other proposed laws held up in Villar's committee are the Sustainable Forest Management Act and the Alternative Minerals Management Act.

Both measures seek to fill the legal gaps in addressing environmental problems such as deforestation and various forms of land use conversion.