By BEN SERRANO Correspondent BUTUAN City––Authorities closed down four gold processing plants in Cabadbaran city in Agusan del Norte due to illegal operations on Monday afternoon. The Mines and Geo-Sciences Bureau (MGB) regional director Daniel Berderol said the plants located in Sitio Pirada, Barangay del Pilar and Barangay Comagascas, all in Cabadbaran, were closed down based on a Sept. 3 cease-and-desist order the Bureau issued against all illegal mining activities in the areas. The plants were close down by the MGB, Agusan del Norte Provincial Mining Regulatory Board, police and local officials. Judith Cueno, barangay chairperson of del Pilar, said some of the plants belonged to businessmen Jose Silao, Afredo Roa, Mita Ito, and Rosabbella Capari. Berderol said Agusan del Norte Gov. Angel Matba, PMRB chairperson, also issued closure order against all illegal mining activities in the area. “They are all operating illegally but for the sake of the livelihood of many involved in small-scale mining activtities, we are now helping them with their applications for Minahan gg Bayan.There are processes that they must follow, foremost of which is the environmental protection of the areas,” said Berderol. Cabadbaran police director Chief Insp. Jorge Fernandez said three gold-processing plants in Barangay del Pilar were closed, and another one was stopped in Barangay Comagascas. Illegal mining activities are widespread and are posing a threat to Caraga’s ecology, said environmental watchdog People’s Action Against Destruction of Naural Resources (Paandar). “The problem is that some of these illegal mining activities are backed up by influential and powerful politicians and powerful politicians,” said Paandar convenor Tom Mendoza, adding that even the Minahan ng Bayan was being abused.