php command line script does not parse included file

In the php script i am executing. The file which is included using require_once, is printed in full before the script errors out because it is not parsed.

Is there a setting that i am missing here. I thought php parses included files by default when the php script is run from the command line.

This is happening on php7.2. It is not a cwd() or DIR not being set correct issue. Since i ensured the paths are correct and that i am in the right directory when calling the script. It is odd that the file is printed instead of being parsed.

Thanks