I referred the documentation and tried this -
<php function="empty" returnProperty="productionSameAsExpectedBranch">
<param value="${productionDeviationFromExpectedBranch}"/>
</php>
But it gives error -
[php] Calling PHP function: empty() [PHP Error] call_user_func_array() expects parameter 1 to be a valid callback, function 'empty' not found or invalid function name [line 125 of /usr/share/pear/phing/tasks/system/PhpEvalTask.php]