Fopen error

I have a question- I have 3 databases that are accessed just fine if I run Apache 2 with the UID of wwrun (stock SuSe install). I installed BackupPC on the same server and they suggested for speed reasons to set the Apache UID to backuppc. when I do that I get an error-
Warning: fopen(include/errors.xml) [function.fopen]: failed to open stream: No such file or directory in /srv/www/htdocs/database/filters/include/commonfunctions.php on line 885

Cannot open XML data file: include/errors.xml
I found an old topic where the user had the same issue-but no real fix. Sergey seemed to think it was a permissions problem but I changed the owner and group permissions to 777 to test and I still get the error. I also changed the user and group the pages were owned by but no avail <img src='https://asprunner.com/forums/file.php?topicimage=1&fieldname=question&id=8182&image=1&table=forumtopics' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':(' /> 2 of the sites have php mysql database logins and I get a session error with the correct credentials and no pages served, the other site is served to everyone and it works but I still get the error at the bottom of every page.
To make a long story short is it possible to server the php pages with a different Apache user? If this isn't the Forum for this I apologize-thought I'd start here first.