Matet de Leon after rift with mom Nora Aunor: ‘Hindi ko na siya kakausapin ulit’
Matet de Leon. Image: screengrab from YouTube/Ogie Diaz
“Hindi ko na siya kakausapin ulit (I will not talk to her again),” said Matet de Leon of her mom, veteran actress Nora Aunor following their ongoing rift when the latter supposedly directly competed with her daughter’s gourmet food business.
The younger actress still appeared upset when she sat for an interview with comedian-vlogger Ogie Diaz, which aired on his YouTube channel on Monday, Dec. 12.
According to De Leon, she has yet to talk to Aunor after she first disclosed their falling out to the public, and has no intention of doing so anytime soon.
“Kasi parang sa akin, ginawa ko na ang lahat (Because for me, I already did everything I could [for her],” she explained, adding that she has always defended Aunor against criticisms.
During her conversation with Diaz, De Leon also revealed that her mom collaborated with her brother, whom De Leon did not immediately name, and his girlfriend in producing Aunor’s gourmet products.
“Ang alam ko, tinago nila sa akin because the girlfriend of my brother — both of them — kasama sila sa nagbuo nito,” De Leon stated. (From what I know, they hid this from me because [my brother and his girlfriend] were among those who conceptualized these products.)
“Kasama ko pa ‘yung girlfriend kasi lilipat sila malapit sa bahay namin… Tinitingnan ako sa mata nung bagets nang parang walang nangyayari,” she added. “Bakit hindi niyo sinabi kung walang intensyong mang-asar?”
(I was even with the girlfriend because they were moving to a place near our house. She looked straight into my eyes as if nothing was going on. Why did you not mention the products to me if you had no intention to insult me?)
While De Leon did not mention who she was referring to, she reiterated in the interview that it was their youngest sibling Kenneth who told her to just resell their mom’s gourmet products.
“‘Yung sinabi ng kapatid ko na, ‘[Bakit ‘di] ka na lang mag-resell ka ng products ni mommy?’, ginano’n ako ng bunso namin. Baka nga ginawa ko pa ‘yon kung napag-usapan,” she said.
(My youngest brother told me, “Why don’t you just resell mom’s products?” I might have done that if they talked to me about it.)
De Leon further pointed out how the public has been judging her and her siblings — Lotlot, Ian, Kenneth and Kiko — without actually knowing the truth behind their relationship with their mom.
“Nagbabayad [pa rin] ako ng utang na loob kasi marami pa kayong hindi alam,” she said. “‘Pag lumabas ‘yon, masisira lahat.” (I am still paying my debt of gratitude [and] there’s still a lot you do not know. When it comes out, everything will be ruined.)
De Leon, however, clarified that she accepted the interview invite from Diaz only to clear her side and not to speak against Aunor.
While expressing gratitude that her gourmet products were sold-out after she made headlines, she lamented that it happened “at the expense of [her] relationship with [her] mother.”
“It doesn’t hurt me anymore — what they’re saying — because no. 1: they don’t know the truth. No. 2: they’re just there for the circus of all of this,” she stated, referring to those who criticize her and her siblings.
De Leon said she still respects Aunor amid their feud, expressing hopes that the national artist would do the same to her children.
“Makakaasa pa rin naman siya ng respeto galing sa amin at katahimikan sa mga hindi dapat pag-usapan… Kaya lang, sana hindi na maulit ‘yung mga ganitong parang asaran,” she told Diaz.
(She can still expect respect from us and silence on matters that should not be talked about. But of course, I hope this situation, which seems like an insult, does not happen again.)
“‘Yung health niya pinagdadasal ko gabi-gabi ‘yan. Ayaw nating may mangyaring masama [sa kanya],” she added. (I pray for her health every night. We do not want something bad to happen to her.)
De Leon earlier stated that she felt “betrayed” after Aunor “competed” with her gourmet business, adding that the Superstar apparently kept the products secret from her daughter prior to its release.
Aunor has yet to publicly address the matter as of this writing.
Matet, Lotlot, Kiko and Kenneth are Aunor’s adoptive children with ex-husband Christopher de Leon. Ian is the former couple’s only biological child. EDV
