The rift among the children of the late National Artist Nora Aunor deepened this week after Ian De Leon and Lotlot De Leon traded conflicting claims over the management of their mother's estate, legacy, and plans to preserve her name.

The latest exchange marks another development in the ongoing dispute that has played out publicly in recent months, with family members offering differing accounts of discussions surrounding Nora's properties, business ventures, and charitable initiatives.

Ian, Nora's biological son, appeared on "Fast Talk with Boy Abunda" on June 19, where he addressed questions about his mother's estate and the reported misunderstanding among his siblings.

During the interview, Ian confirmed that he established a One Person Corporation (OPC) to help manage Nora's estate, assets, and legacy. He said the corporation would oversee Nora Aunor Enterprise, a for-profit entity intended to produce shows, concerts, documentaries, exhibits, and musicals related to the Superstar's life and career.

Ian also revealed plans for a Nora Aunor Foundation, a non-profit organization that would receive 10 to 15 percent of the enterprise's proceeds. According to him, the foundation is modeled after Nora Cares, an outreach program launched by his mother in 2017.

"One reason why I decided to pursue this is because I don't want anyone to use Mom's name freely or loosely for their own personal gain," Ian said.

He stressed that the initiative was never intended to exclude his siblings. Asked about inheritance, Ian said the settlement of an estate takes time and must undergo proper legal procedures.

"Things take time. It's not like your mother passes today, the next week may mana na," he said.

Ian maintained that he had informed his siblings of his plans, saying the concept was discussed after Nora's 40th day and during a Zoom meeting allegedly attended by Matet De Leon.

Despite the controversy, Ian said he remains hopeful that the family can eventually move past their differences.

"It's not for me. It's for Mom," he said.

Lotlot, however, offered a sharply different account when she faced members of the media during a story conference for the upcoming film "40 Days."

Visibly emotional, she denied Ian's assertion that the siblings had been informed about the OPC and Nora Aunor Enterprise.

"Sinungaling kang tao," Lotlot said, directly addressing Ian.

According to Lotlot, she remained silent for more than a year out of respect for Nora and Christopher De Leon. She said she decided to speak up because she could no longer allow what she described as false statements about her and her siblings to go unanswered.

Lotlot also denied being motivated by inheritance. She recalled privately asking Ian whether he was willing to share Nora's properties with the other siblings, particularly Matet, Kiko, and Kenneth, while emphasizing that she was not asking for herself.

"If you're willing to share the properties of Mommy with us, maraming salamat. Kung hindi, okay lang," Lotlot recalled telling him.

She added that, as far as she was concerned, Ian could keep everything.

"He can have it all," she said. "Sapat na natawag ko si Nora Aunor na Mommy. Sapat na na pinalaki ako ng isang Superstar."

Lotlot further claimed that she had sought to establish a foundation in Nora's name to continue the Superstar's legacy of helping others. She said Ian initially encouraged the effort and promised support, but later posted on Facebook that he was unaware of the foundation and had not authorized anyone to solicit donations for it.

According to Lotlot, that statement deeply hurt her because Ian allegedly knew about the project from the start.

Following Lotlot's remarks, Ian aired his side through a series of Facebook Stories.

In his posts, he claimed he had been invited to a dinner where he was allegedly asked to sign a document without being informed beforehand about the meeting's true purpose. He also said lawyers were present without his prior knowledge.

Ian likewise raised concerns about the foundation mentioned by Lotlot. He alleged that its registration with the Securities and Exchange Commission had not yet been approved when donations were already being solicited. He said this prompted him to issue a public statement to protect the family from possible legal complications.

Ian also denied attempting to exclude his siblings, saying he had made it clear after Nora's state funeral that the five siblings would work together and that the estate would be divided equally.

He questioned why he was being portrayed as selfish, insisting that his goal was to preserve their mother's name and legacy.

Despite the public exchange, Ian ended his posts on a conciliatory note, saying he still considers Lotlot his sister and continues to call her "Ate."

The dispute has once again drawn public attention to Nora's legacy. Born Nora Cabaltera Villamayor in Iriga City, Camarines Sur, she rose from humble beginnings to become one of the most influential figures in Philippine cinema. Named National Artist for Film and Broadcast Arts, she remains one of the country's most revered cultural icons.