MANILA - Actress Lotlot de Leon disputed the statement made by her brother Ian de Leon regarding the establishment of the OPC honoring their late mother, National Artist Nora Aunor, during the press conference for the upcoming mystery drama film “40 Days.”
Lotlot asked permission from the cast and production team to address Ian’s recent interview with Boy Abunda, saying she wanted to set the record straight after he claimed that he informed his siblings of his plans.
“Hindi ko alam bakit kasinungalingan lumalabas sa bibig mo, Ian. Sinabi niya magtatayo daw siya sa Fast Talk. He never told us, he never shared anything with us. Wala siyang shinare, sinabi, kinuwento. Hinahayaan na nga namin, tahimik na ako. But I will not allow anyone to put Matet down, to put Kiko down, to put Ken down, to say these lies because it is not true,” she said.
“Enough. Enough with the lies. Tahimik na kami. Wala na kami sinasabi and then you go out, and tell everyone you told us—which is not true,” she added.
In his interview with Abunda, Ian said he had already discussed the concept with his siblings 40 days after Aunor’s death, but they were not ready to pursue it at the time.
“We were gathered together. All five of us. I also wanted them involved. This was still a concept at the time. Wala pa OPC noon. That time they were not ready because it was still a concept. But I told them I would pursue this and I am willing for everyone to be on board. I told them. In fact there was a meeting over Zoom. Matet was there. She was aware,” Ian recalled in the interview.
Lotlot, meanwhile, argued that it was Ian who said he was “not ready” when she brought up the idea of putting up a foundation to honor their mother.
“Tinanong ko siya—are you willing to do the foundation with us? Magtayo tayo para kay Mommy, sabi niya ‘I am not ready.’ Sabi niya wala siya ilalabas na pera. Di niya pa kaya ngayon. Nasa text yan may kopya ako. Nirespeto ko yan,” Lotlot explained.
“Hanggang nagka conversation kami nina Matet, Kiko at Ken. They said magtayo na tayo… But I said hindi pwede na hindi tayo kumpleto. He said go ahead do it, gawin niyo. Susuportahan ko. Pag ready na ba ako pwede ako sumali? Sabi ko Oo. Atin to—for the legacy of mommy.”
Lotlot also stressed the only intention of their foundation is to continue Aunor’s legacy for philanthropy and not for profit.
“Ano ba legacy ni mommy? Pagtulong sa kapwa. Yun gusto ko tuloy. Hindi para pagkakitaan. Ako nga maghihirap at maghanap ng pera for the foundation,” she reasoned.
The actress again clarified she and her siblings are not interested in inheriting the properties Aunor left in Bicol.
“Kung ano ang iniwan ni mommy, mga lupa sa Bicol—yun lang meron siya. Wala ibang naiwan ang mommy kung hindi iyon… He can have it all, para sa akin sapat nang natawag kong mommy si Nora Aunor. Sapat na pinalaki ako ng isang superstar. Sapat nang nabigyan ako ng pangalan ni Mommy. He can have it all. Galit ako, galit na galit ako. Buong buhay ko sinakripisyo para sa mga kapatid ko, tapos sisirain mo lang,” she said.
Lotlot, however, admitted she asked Ian if he had plans to share the properties with their siblings, acknowledging he is the sole legal heir.
“And after mommy died, and after she was buried—to be honest, kinausap ko Ian. After a few weeks. Are you willing to share the properties with us. And tinanong ko yan without Matet, Kiko, and Ken knowing. Why? Hindi para sa akin, naawa ako sa tatlo kong kapatid. Dahil wala iniwan si Mommy sa kanila. At tanggap namin, kung ano meron si Mommy, kay Ian iyon. Walang nanghihingi, walang nang aagaw,” she explained.
She went on: “Sinabi ko if you are willing to share the properties with us, maraming salamat. Kung hindi, OK lang. Walang problema. Tinanong ko yan without sina Matet knowing. I just wanted to know for the sake of the three. Kasi ako kaya ko, buong buhay ko kinaya ko.”
Ian, on the other hand, told Abunda he will be “fair” to his siblings.
“Of course, definitely. For me, I would do things need to be done now... I have to keep our focus in extending and doing what needs to be done,” he said. “Just to make things clear… The mana issue… things take time. It is not like your mother passes today, next week may mana na. Everything has to be dealt legally. I need a crash course on legalities for this to have order and structure.”
Lotlot said she could no longer hold back her sentiments after watching the Fast Talk interview.
“Hindi ko siya nakausap ng isang taon, he and I have not spoken in one year—so many things have been said about me and Matet and my two brothers. I never said anything because nirerespeto ko mommy ko. And nirerespeto ko daddy namin, na si Christopher de Leon…. pero ang hindi ko ma-take ay ang isang sinungaling na tao,” she said.
The actress reasoned the alleged “lies” of Ian are especially hurtful because she deeply cared for and cherished her relationship.
“This is just to clarify, whatever you are hearing, it is not true. This pains me so much kasi tinuring ko siya… inalagaan ko siya bilang kapatid. Binilin sakin ng nanay ko… ilang taon nasa America di mommy… si Ian ilang taon tumira sakin. Nang asawa ko pa Monching, ginawan namin siya ng kwarto sa bahay namin. I do not understand why. Sa kanya na lahat. wala ako hinihingi. wala inaagaw si Matet,” she emphasized.
Ian, meanwhile, told Abunda in their interview that he is hopeful they will eventually patch things up. “People have to understand, family units have their own misunderstandings. I would let time take its own course. I won't force anything until it's the right time for things to be resolved,” he told Abunda. “Kiko and Kenneth, we still have communication. The sisters, like what I said earlier… time can make you realize where you stand and heal.”