Lotlot de Leon is 'not after inheritance' after brother Ian claims he's 'sole heir' of Nora Aunor's estate
Lotlot de Leon has made it clear that she is not after the estate of her late mother, Nora Aunor, following remarks from her brother Ian de Leon describing himself as the actress’ “sole heir.”
Ian made the statement during his interview on ANC’s Beyond The Exchange, saying, "I am, legally speaking, the sole heir of mom, but, of course, the responsibility holds me accountable for many things, first and foremost, all the things that she has left behind, like her movies and her body of work, like in the music industry. And also, of course, we have to be managing all those people who truly love her.
He emphasized, however, that he "respects his siblings a lot" and that his "responsibility here does not exclude them or erase them from any family relationships."
In a statement through her legal counsel Mark Julius Estur, Lotlot clarified her "lack of involvement" in the establishment of the One Person Corporation by her brother.
"Ms. de Leon was not in any way and in any capacity involved or consulted in the establishment of a One Person Corporation for both a foundation and an enterprise in honor of Ms. Nora Aunor which Mr. Ian De Leon has mentioned in his interview," the statement read.
"In fact, it is our view that a foundation cannot be established through an OPC legally. Any statement of attribution to Ms. de Leon is misleading and a false representation," it added.
According to her lawyer, Lotlot has "not participated in the founding, management or fundraising efforts of the OPCs," and that her personal charitable efforts "remain focused elsewhere."
Lotlot has also disputed Ian's claim that she is included in the plans as she was "not consulted and simply informed at the very least of any participation or plans for the administration of their mother's estate."
"To our client's knowledge, there is no last will and testament executed assigning sole administration and authority to the estate of their mother," the statement read.
It further asserted that Lotlot is "not after any inheritance nor seeking for any gain attached to the estate and legacy of her mother."
"She has stepped away completely and this was a conscious and respectful decision after Mr. lan de Leon chose to take full responsibility for all legal matters," it stated.
Lotlot's camp noted that the actress had previously set up a separate foundation with her siblings, which they claimed Ian had been informed of and initially expressed support for.
Because of this, it was "deeply hurtful and difficult to understand" on Lotlot's end when Ian had denied any knowledge of the foundation after it was made public through its official Facebook page and YouTube channel.
The siblings have had no communication with each other since then.
"Ms. de Leon has remained silent before out of respect for their mother and to avoid further conflicts during an already difficult time. But that silence has been misunderstood. Our client will not allow her name to be dragged into something she is not a part of, or used in a way that does not reflect the truth," the statement read.
"Our client stands independently and refuses to be part of a false narrative. We ask the public and media to kindly ensure that her name is not used in association with Mr. Ian De Leon's efforts. No further comments on this matter shall be made," it ended.
Nora passed away in April last year at the age of 71 due to acute respiratory failure. Ian is her biological child with her ex-husband Christopher De Leon, while Lotlot De Leon, Matet De Leon, Kiko, and Kenneth were her adopted children.