Teenage gangs are suspects in the series of firecracker explosions that damaged three vehicles in Bacolod City Tuesday, the police said yesterday.

Police Station 1 commander, Chief Inspector Noel Manaay, said gang members undergoing initiation rites could have thrown the firecrackers at the vehicles parked in different locations in the city between 4 p.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday.

The vehicles parked at the compounds of SM City at the Bacolod Reclamation Area, the Social Security System at Lacson Street , and the Pearl Manor Pension House at B.S. Aquino Drive , incurred damaged windshields and lights, police records show.

Police investigation showed that the firecrackers used were “kamaras”, a cylindrical type of firecracker usually attached to a string of smaller pyrotechnics.

SM City public relations officer, Lorena Martinez, said they are now coordinating with the police in the investigation of the incident that damaged the black Toyota Altis of Ma. Socorro Cuales. She also said they have detailed more security guards around the mall's premises to prevent similar incidents.

Noel Villanueva, building administrator of the SSS, meanwhile, said they have heightened security measures in their compound.

A roving security guard and those detailed at the front area of the building were doing their rounds when the explosion that damaged the Izuzu Crosswind of Aufred Sa-onoy occured, he said.

The head of the Pearl Manor Pension House's security department was not available for comment yesterday.

The 10 stations of the Bacolod City Police Office conducted checkpoints after the explosions but no arrests have been made yet.*PP

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