MANILA, Philippines ? "Winnability," as measured by a good performance in surveys, should not be used as a criterion for voting, the Catholic Bishops? Conference of the Philippines said on Sunday.

In its pastoral statement on occasion of its 100th General Assembly, the CBCP called on voters to follow their conscience, not the results of pre-election surveys, in deciding who to vote for in the coming elections.

?Do not be swayed by survey results or political advertisements. Follow the dictates of your conscience after a prayerful and collective period of discernment,? read the CBCP?s statement.

??Winnability? is not at all a criterion for voting!? it further said.

Senator Benigno ?Noynoy? Aquino III has been leading the surveys, followed by Sen. Manny Villar, and deposed President Joseph Estrada. Former Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro has been trailing at fourth, followed by Sen. Richard Gordon.

Aquino, a political lightweight before the death of his mother, former president Corazon Aquino, rode on the wave of an emotional nostalgia for the People Power heroine, to become the Liberal Party standard bearer and survey frontliner.

Villar has been pouring money in a slew of political ads to trail Aquino while Estrada still retains a fraction of his mass following to come in third.